Rebel
by DK3094
Summary: Set a year after Eric's initiation. Lex is on a mission to bring Eric down and in turn Jeanine as she is sent by her father to infiltrate Dauntless. Little does she know what's in store for her! OC/Eric I own nothing, all rights reserved to Veronica Roth. OC's are mine :)
1. Chapter 1

**AN/ Hey Guys I'm kinda new to this whole writing Fanfiction but am a major fan of a lot of people's work on here, so I thought I'd give it a go! I'm trying not to go down the whole OC/Eric love story so I'll leave it to be a slow but sexual tensed burn between the two.  
** **Would love feedback any type you can give me, and hopefully you enjoy :)**

 **P.s I am Australian so some of my grammar and writing of words will most likely be written in English (Aus)!**

 **I own nothing, all rights reserved to Veronica Roth. OC's are mine :)**

Dauntless.

Abnegation.

Divergent.

The aptitude test had left me more confused than satisfied. Divergent is what the grey haired Abnegation man had called it. You're Divergent. He emphasized the words as if they were to help understand what had occurred. Dauntless and Abnegation. They couldn't have been more different. Like ice-cream and bacon.

I pondered about my choice, or in this case choices as I was walking home, too afraid to wait for the hub as maybe someone could see right through me and into my divergence. There was small chatter going about in Candor. The word divergent being spread like gossip, but in hushed tones and whispered conversations. It was bad news my mother would say, shaking her head. She was so proud when she chose Candor, always truthful. How at sixteen were we to know where we needed to be. Sixteen I thought was too young an age to choose where the rest of your life should be, how we should live it. By being smart. Honest. Kind. Selfless. Or brave.

My mother awaited me as I reached home, with a disapproved smirk on her face, a hand to her hip. My mother was a tall lady, yet slim. Beautiful she once was, but her work took a toll on her, and she lost the gracefulness of her beauty. The only thing I had inherited from her was her eyes and height, everything else I revelled in as they were from my father.

"What took you so long Alexia?" her annoyed tone made me realize that I was about to be interrogated.

"I walked instead of taking the hub. I needed time to think." My words were blunt and came out with a snarl, I knew I was being rude, but there was no love lost between my mother and I, she was truthful, I was just rude though I wouldn't ever admit it out aloud. I tried to put an end to the start of her lecture. I was wrong. And that was why I could never be Erudite. I was never able to win a debate, truthfully anyways.

My mother's Candish ways saw through my lie though didn't question it. Yet.

"Why didn't you wait for your father to finish the testing?" I froze. I had forgotten father would be there, assessing other dependents tests. Before I could come up with a lie, a contradiction to my current faction, my father came in, his white coat in his hands. He set his eyes on me and was about to speak until the shrill annoyance of my mother's voice cut him off.

"Alexia, why don't you set up the table for dinner, your father and I will finish discussing your tardiness later." My mother's shrill voice caused my ears to hurt, yet I did not complain but taking the chance to leave immediately to the kitchen.

Half an hour later, my mother, father and I were seated on the small four seated dining table, passing each other the chicken and corn that was for dinner. My mother and father made small talk, until they pointed the conversation towards me. I thought I had escaped the lecture, but my mother, being the assistant to Jack Kang himself was too honest to fall back on her promises.

"So Alexia, please tell us why you didn't wait for your father after your test?" My mother bore her hazel eyes right into mine, a mirror reflection. I used the tricks that Candor's pick up to detect those who lie and used it to my advantage. I had to get out of this subject before my mother would figure out my divergence.

"Like I said mother I wanted time to think about the outcome of my test. And besides father was too busy." I spoke clearly, my tone held a sinister aggression, continuing to gaze at her. My father held the fork in his hand tightly, not wanting another argument to spill over. They happened nearly every week between myself and her after my brother defected.

"Very well." She had bought my lie.

Dinner had finished, and I was preparing to go to bed, hoping to gain a full night's sleep before choosing day. But my father's voice stopped me in my tracks as I was half-way up the stairs.

"Lex" he called me by my nickname. Only two people used it, my father and my brother. "I need you to understand that tomorrow is important." I nodded and was about to speak when he cut me off. "No, Lex. You have to think about yourself. About your safety." And I understood perfectly. He knew. He knew about my divergence. A tear slipped out of the corner of my eye for the very first time in several years and he reached out to wipe it away. I turned into his arms and embraced him before I went to bed, his hand rested on the right side caressing in the indention. That may be the last time I could really be with my father, until visiting day. The last words he said to me though, sealed my fate.

"Be brave Lex."

Choosing day. Two words, yet they held more meaning than any 200 year old book Erudite had locked away, or Candor's motto of honesty and truthfulness.

I turned back once more to the small hole in my wardrobe that held my brothers belongings and some books he had passed over that he knew I was going to need. I was no longer going to be a dependent. But soon a fully-fledged/ member of society.

As a dependent we were just that, dependent on our parents, our family. They had become our security net. Life at Candor was ruthless. Truth would set you free. That was what my mother would constantly tell me, and it was the last thing she said to me, before I made my way down the steps on the auditorium, my father's words though were itched into my brain, like a tattoo permanently written on my arm. I turned back before I descended the stairs and looked at my father. A small sad smile played on his face, as he understood perfectly what my decision would be.

My legs felt heavy, as they were made of wood, yet I refused to stop until I reached the bowls that would now determine where I would belong for the rest of my life. Jack Kang, the leader of Candor stood patiently. I picked up the small yet sharp blade, slicking my palm until I could smell copper. Blood. I allowed the droplet of blood to smear down my palm until I held it over the bowl of my choosing.

Coals sizzled.

Dauntless.

The jump off the train left my heart in my stomach but all the more exhilarating. Though the landing was less than graceful, the gravel cutting my white jacket to pieces. An erudite girl who landed next to me let out a small laugh as I turned to her.

"My names Katherine." She spoke eloquently, a trait from Erudite, and gave me her hand to pull me up. Before I could give her my name, a shout emerged from further away.

"My name's Eric and I'm one of your leaders here in Dauntless." Katherine and I slowly approached the already forming group of transfers and Dauntless born that now surrounded the dauntless leader, Eric.

He stood on a ledge, his arms folded against his chest. His dirty blonde hair almost matched mine, though he had several inches to my height. The tattoo's protruding out of his neck made him look intimidating, though the microdermals above his eyebrow made him all the more scary, but maybe that was the idea.

"This is the only way to enter Dauntless." He motioned behind him, and now I realized that he wanted us to jump. His eyes flickered to all of us but stopped briefly to mine, and for a moment I thought he saw something, recognition maybe. Yet I had never met the handsome, yet intimidating leader until now.

I still held his gaze, though bringing my fingers up to the right side of my face. He darted his back to the group, and it was then I remembered that my face held a distinct scar that had now become a permanent accessory, which was what he was looking at. Maybe he did know me.

"So who's it going to be?" He jumped off the ledge onto the gravel floor, allowing the initiates to prepare to enter the dauntless compound.

The dauntless born and transfers looked at one another, assessing who was brave enough to step forward into the unknown. I looked at Katherine and then shrugged, pulling off my tattered white jacket and throwing it to the side. But a dauntless born beat me to the punch and stepped on the ledge, flinging himself off the ledge. After hearing some cheers from down below, obviously a sign that all was well, I stepped onto the ledge. Looking down I could see nothing below, but a grunt from Eric caused me to look at him.

It was only a whisper, but I heard him perfectly.

"Lex"

My eyes widen, and in my state of confusion I tipped back causing my body to plummet 50 metres to the ground.


	2. Chapter 2

**All rights reserved to Veronica Roth  
** **OC's are mine :)**

 **Will try and post three times a week!**

 **Enjoy my lovelies :)**

Solid hands gripped me into a vice, until I was put down on the ground. Turning my head to see where I landed I was met with a gigantic beige net. Rotating back to the hands that were still holding my arms, though less tightly now, was a young man. He was handsome, but a different type of handsome to Eric. But cute all the same.

"You got a name?" His voice was demanding yet soft.

I thought for a moment. Only two people called me Lex, but my mother called me Alexia. I loved my name, but it brought back terrible memories, so I made the split decision to use the only name I ever felt entirely comfortable with.

"Lex."

"Second jumper, Lex." Cheers and claps filled my ears and I went to stand with the first jumper, who I would later find out his name as Cain.

Forty-five minutes later all initiates had jumped, though some looked like they were pushed off, no doubt from Eric. He seemed like that type of guy.

"Dauntless born go with Lauren. Transfers you're with me." Several transfers were left, 3 Candor, 4 Erudite and a lonesome Amity.

"My names Four and I'll be your trainer for the next several weeks." The handsome leader, now known as Four, pushed in between us, and with a nod, we followed him to where we would spend the next several weeks fighting for a position in Dauntless. Four lead us through, what was known as the Pit, the life at Dauntless and along a winding concrete staircase until we reached a foot bridge. There was a loud crashing noise, water, behind the bridge and one slip of the foot looked like you could plummet to your death. My suspicions turned to be true.

"This here is the Chasm. If you think about jumping, you'll die. There's a difference between being brave and being stupid." The edge of his voice told me it wasn't Four that spoke but Eric, and lo and behold he was there standing next to Four. The man had slide by like a ninja, one of the many perks that he must of learnt being Dauntless.

"Yes like Eric stated don't come out here when drunk because I can guarantee you we will be picking your body up from the morgue. Let's go." I lingered at the back of the group and so did Eric, yet we continued to walk at a slower pace than the rest. I needed to know how he knew me. We kept a small distance between each other, he refusing to look at me as I spoke.

"How d-"Eric had waked off before I could finish my sentence, and that had only made my blood boil. Who did he think he was? "Jerk" sprang to mind. "Leader, dangerous and don't get on his bad side" screamed my conscious, but I pushed it aside. I was going to make him answer me, one way or another. I reached the group who had stopped at a room. It was filled with bunks and in the far corner was an open, and I mean open, bathroom. The toilets had no doors and the showers were free standing. I hoped that we could come up with a schedule where the guys were respectful enough to turn around or leave when the girls decided to shower.

"Sweet." Apparently not, as one of the Candor boys, Mack, spoke out about the open bathroom. I only rolled my eyes as did Sarah, who was also from Candor and Katherine.

"Choose a bed, get dressed and be down in fifteen minutes for dinner." Four spoke and then left the dormitory. In the fifteen minutes Sarah, Katherine and myself all chose a bed adjacent to each other, and we had come up with a comprise with the boys about a bathroom schedule. The motto was 'Don't Look Don't Touch.'

I couldn't have been more excited to shed my Candor uniform and pull on the tight black leggings, long sleeve black top which hugged my curves and flattered my cleavage and black boots. I left the runners they had given us for training.

Katherine, Sarah and myself sat with the other transfers in the cafeteria. It was loud and vivacious, a welcomed changed from Candor. Plates of meat, vegetables and cake was lined on each table, and we began piling food onto our plates.

Our table was full of laughter as we got to know each other. Kyle was the only Amity transfer, while Sarah and Mack were from Candor, and Katherine shared Zach, Jayce, and Adam from Erudite. I took this opportunity to look around my surroundings. The person I had wanted to see was nowhere to be found, but my vision was soon obstructed by Eric. He stood at the foot of our table, looking down at all of us.

I turned to look at my new friends, each had stopped eating, Mack's mouth hung wide, a chicken leg propped out of his mouth, and looked at Eric, scared at what he might say or do. But I wasn't, I was angry. I turned to face him, palms up on the cool metal table.

"Yes." I said sarcastically. Eric stood his ground, but his gaze bore into mine. His lips twitched. "Do you need something dear leader?" I heard Katherine or Sarah gasp and Mach's chicken leg spluttered on his plate, juices flying everywhere. I ignored it, still holding Eric's eye line. The glint in his eyes changed from one of curiosity to anger. I had hit a nerve and knew I would be punished about it. My conscious screamed at me, yet I pushed her into the back of my mind telling her shut up. Eric had pissed me off.

He didn't say anything, his eyes speaking for him. His dark grey orbs filled with seething anger, though he said and did nothing, standing over me only a moment longer, then walking away. I turned back to the group, their faces registered emotions of shock, and surprised shakes of the head.

"You have a death wish." Piped Jayce. I laughed back and continued to eat my burger before Zach who was also from Erudite spoke.

"You know he was second in his class, Four was first. And by the looks of things Lex, he could kill you with just one blow." I scoffed and turned to him, starring deadpanned.

"Let him try." Sarah and Katherine only shook their heads while the boys laughed. This was going to be fun. If Eric wasn't going to tell me his secret I was just going to force his hand.

And a defiant soldier was something a leader dreaded more than war.

The sharp sound of metal on metal had awoken each of us from our slumbers. Four's voice broke through the clanging and with "Be down in the pit in 5" we all scrambled to get up and get dressed. I rummaged through the sparse clothing I had, making a mental note of going shopping when I acquired more points, but for now I popped on black leggings and my sports bra, throwing a dainty singlet on top. Tossing my blonde locks in a messy bun, I ran down with Katherine and a barely awake Sarah as we descended into the pit.

"Damn Lex, nice scar." Jayce stated when we had arrived with a minute to spare. It was then I realized my hair had been down last night, covering my scar which started from the corner bottom of my right eye to my lip. I gave Jayce a small smirk and a raised eyebrow. Before any of the other guys could point out my obvious facial flaw, Four's voice cut through.

"All right initiates. Today marks day one of stage one; physical combat. You live through that you go onto stage 2, which assess how you combat your greatest fears." The sounds of footsteps caused myself and the group to look away from Four and to see who was entering the pit. I swallowed the large lump in my throat. Eric.

"You'll also be ranked. You'll train alone but be ranked with the dauntless born. Ranking determines which jobs you'll acquire if and once you pass. Leader, patrolling the fence or keeping the Factionless from killing each other." Four continued as he ignored the leader's presence. The tension between Four and Eric could be cut with a butter knife.

"You've 20 minutes to eat and be down in the training room. I suggest you keep up. You'll be needing it soon." Eric's voice dripped with ice as he snarled the last words to us, almost threatening. I wasn't scared, more amused. I scoffed at his last sentence which caught his attention. He took three quick strides and stood in front of me, so close I could smell his breathe as he spoke.

"Something funny, initiate?" If looks could kill, I'd have been dead there and then, but I was on a mission to piss him off, and what better way than to start now. I looked him dead in the eye, a playful smirk on my face as I let out a quiet yet forceful "Nope."

I could hear his teeth ground together, and his hand balled into a tight fist, but I refused to back down.

"Watch it." He snarled yet spoke so only I could hear him. My conscious was screaming to end this but I was too stubborn to bow out first.

"Or what?" I hushed, egging him on. At this point Eric was seething with rage and it was causing palpable tension in the room. Four who had sensed that Eric could erupt any second now, called out.

"Everyone dismissed. Be in the training room in twenty." Everyone started to leave, I didn't move. "You to Lex." Four had walked up to my side and ushered me away with a forceful push. 'Go' he mouthed, and I had no choice but to leave. I was halfway out the pit when I turned away and threw Eric, who was still looking my way, a seductive wink and blew him a kiss, before running to the cafeteria.

"What was that?" Katherine spoke as I arrived, shock and awe written on her face. I sat down quickly and began picking at a blueberry muffin before responding with a shrug of my shoulders. Jayce only laughed and hung his arm around my shoulder.

"You do have a death wish." He chuckled. I allowed his arm to stay there, liking how it felt. We continued to eat and make small talk, and by the end of the twenty minutes I realized Jayce and I would become great friends.

Training was harsh and rigorous. Luckily Eric was with Lauren training the Dauntless born, so Four had us for the day, making us ran several laps around the compound for two hours, until he moved us onto fighting techniques, where we practiced how to perfect our punches, kicks and defensive and offensive positions. By lunch I was sore, but didn't protest as it was considered weak. Jayce, Katherine and I had become fast friends, yet we were all on good terms with the rest of the group. I hoped that we stayed that way as I was in no mood for drama.

The rest of the day comprised of gun shooting, and after the first hour I had managed to hit majority of my bullets in the circled target. Several hit the bulls-eye. I watched the others shoot, calculating who was the stronger and weaker out of us. Jayce was an excellent shooter, his bulls-eye riddled with holes, while Sarah was the weakest out of all of us. It pained me to see her fail wanting to reach out and help her, but my competitive side told me that it was good. The weaker everyone else was the better I could become.

I had crashed onto my bed after a relaxing shower and a satisfied dinner where there was no sign of Eric, though the one person I was dying to see still had not made an appearance. Surely he heard of my defection.

I had awoken after only a couple of hours of sleep, knowing it was still too early to be morning. I stayed in bed after tossing for 30 minutes, but there was no use, I was awake and couldn't fall asleep with Kyle and Adam's incisive snoring.

I chucked on my socks, and walked out of the dorms, realizing only until I reached the chasm that I was in leggings and my sports bra. Drops of water prickled my skin making me shiver. I sat down against the sharp wall and watched the water falling down.

"Well well well, look what we have here." His playful tone was laced with cruelty, and a sinister smirk played on his face.

Fuck.


	3. Chapter 3

**So tried to fit as much as possible into this to kind of speed things along. So the next two or three chapters will hopefully be the ground work before the story picks up. Also any ideas for fears would be great. Lex excels in the physical aspect but she ain't perfect, so her fears are what I want to use to show her insecurities.**

 **Thanks for reviewing. Hope you enjoy**

* * *

My head snapped up with so much force that I may have caused myself to sustain from whiplash. My heart raced a million miles an hour and to say I was scared was an understatement. My bravado when speaking to Eric in public, and I emphasised the word public, was starting to falter ever so slightly as here I was, alone, standing in front of him.

I hadn't had time to register anything before I was pushed back, hard, against the cold, cutting rocks that made the wall here in Dauntless. I could feel my skin being cut, dripping with blood. But I wasn't going to give Eric the satisfaction of surrendering.

I was being suffocated, Eric's forearm pressed against my throat, his other hand pushed hard, just above my left hipbone, no doubt leaving bruises. His hot breath evaded my senses, but his eyes left me shaking. They were angry, beyond angry that I had ever seen, even arguments I had with my mother would leave her angry, but Eric was a work of art, perfecting the ever brooding and furious state. I had struck not just a nerve, but several, and looking back it was the way I had spoken to him in front of his peers. I openly mocked his authority. I was in deep shit.

"I could snap your pretty little neck and shove you off the chasm and no-one would blink an eye." Venom dripped with every word he spoke, his fingers digging deeper into my olive skin. My breath was ragged, as he was slowly cutting off my circulation. I never dared look away.

"Only problem is the camera looking over the chasm, Mr Leader." Each word came out in a shaky breath, silver spots dancing around my eyes. I touched the arm pinned against my throat, trying to pry it off. He didn't budge. He continued to hold me in place but lessened his grip on me. I gasped, taking a quick intake of breath.

"You're perceptive. But I guess that's a Candor trait." He retorted.

"Maybe. But I guess you'll have to think of another way to kill me." I taunted him, not caring that he still held me in place, and could kill me at any time. My inner conscious continued to scream "I told you so". I inwardly rolled my eyes.

He stood there for a minute, taking me in as his eyes roamed my body. I was thin like my mother, but had curves where she didn't. His grey eyes though lingered on my face, in particular the mutilation which had marked me since I was thirteen.

Pressure on my throat was now realised, Eric's arm now lifted, his hand however found a different place to touch. His fingers, tough and calloused, much like his hands, were nevertheless surprisingly soft, as they traced my scar. I swallowed hard, and part of me enjoyed his touch. The other screamed to get out.

The former won as I stayed in place. Heat began to rise on my cheeks, the colour evident on my face as Eric smirked. And then the pressure of his body was off mine, I was left standing against the wall, feeling hot and bothered, while I watched Eric walk away.

I ran back to my bed, slipping myself under the covers, praying no-one had seen our encounter. It was then that I realised Eric had won, as he left me flustered, and his secret still kept within him. I was furious, more-so at myself than Eric as I let myself become distracted. I had the opportunity to get him to spill his dirty little secrets, but he turned the tables. I'll be damned if I let that happen again.

* * *

We were once again awoken by metal clanging on metal, Four's voices echoed through the dorms. "Cafeteria, 20 minutes. Training room." I had traded my leggings with light weight black shorts and t-shirt that clung to my chest like second skin.

After Katherine insisted I wear my hair in a braid, we finally took our seats with the boys and Sarah. Conversation was spoken about what today might be filled for us; more guns, or fighting skills. My mind continued to replay last night over again, missing the conversation at hand.

"Lex what do you think? Lex" Jayce's baritone voice woke me from my daydreaming. He ran a hand through his long waves of brown hair that sat perfectly tousled on top of his ever so handsome features. His eyes were a deep shade of brown, almost black, though he came across as warm hearted, with a permanent smile that he featured.

"Think about what?" I quickly shot back.

"What we might be doing today?" Jayce questioned as he was picking apart his blueberry muffin. I snatched a piece from his hands, popping it into my mouth and shrugging.

"Don't know. Knowing Eric, probably something Hell would cringe about." I said after swallowing, the table laughing at my answer.

Stamina was something my brother spoke a lot about. He said it was of great importance to your body, even more so if you were to fight. It was at this time that I thanked him silently for the information he relayed to me most nights, as I was standing against Jayce in the squared ring.

We had walked into the training room to see our names being paired off with one another, a sign that something bad was in store for us. I was right.

Eric strutted in, looking like a male peacock, gesturing a tight smirk. He stopped next to Four, hands clasped behind his back. He turned, looking me dead in the eyes and spoke.

"Time to fight."

The fights before mine were brutal. Kyle fought hard against Mack, and a kick to Mack's temple left him unconscious, being dragged by the feet to the infirmary. Sarah was up against Adam, and though she was small and fast, Adam's strikes left her on her knees conceding. Katherine was surprisingly great, she had gained muscle quickly, and left Zack, playing defence rather than offense. Katherine was able to win with a roundhouse kick to Zack's temple, leaving him stumbling out of the ring.

I was standing across from Jayce, Eric's idea of punishment, knowing we had formed a tight friendship. As we circled each other, I tried to remember certain attack positions and moves I had read secretly at home. Jayce moved first, throwing a punch to my jaw. I side stepped him, and kicked my foot hard against the side of his knee. He stumbled but held his ground. I took the opportunity to try and clip him in the chin, though he saw my play, reaching for my wrist, and pulling me towards his body. He pushed by back down, and delivered three hard knee kicks to my chest. I pulled back, winded, trying to inhale. Jayce charged at me and saw this as a way of ending the fight. I tucked and rolled out of his way, landing behind him. I kicked him hard at the back of his knee, making him fall forward.

Looking at Eric, I flashed him a condescending smile, before running and twisting my body around Jayce's, the motion making him fly off me, stumbling onto his feet, where I roundhouse kicked him, something I had perfected over the years, watching my brother practice, knocking him onto his back. I pushed myself onto him, one knee on his thigh, the other pinned his right arm down. I held my forearm onto his throat, a strange sense of déjà vu. My other arm held Jayce's left wrist. Yet he refused to give up, thrashing against me.

"Just concede" I huffed out. He chuckled, still smiling.

"Never." He continued to squirm about me, until I saw him start to fade. It was there that I got off him, knowing I had won. I turned to Eric, and watched his flashy smile fall right off his face. Four on the other hand could not wipe the smirk off his face.

"Winner-Lex." Eric stated through gritted teeth. I turned back around to give Jayce a hand, and felt relieved when he took it, a sign that our friendship was still intact.

"I'll get you back" Jayce said through a smile, pulling me into a hug

Nodding, replying with "Looking forward to it" as he left his arm around my shoulder, walking back into the dorms to shower.

* * *

Throughout the week we continued with fights. It was an even playing field, and most of us had already faced each other. I had only lost one fight and that was to Adam. It had been brutal, and I was sporting a black eye from the repeated punches he threw at me. Jayce had defended my honor, even though I vehemently denied I needed defending, and safe to say he had put Adam into the infirmary.

For the last week I had searched most of the Dauntless compound for the one person closet to me. I had asked many of the higher ups if they had seen him, and only looked at me with a beguiled face, giving me a sympathetic pat on the back, and a "poor girl." I was utterly confused.

My brother was nowhere to be found.

* * *

The feeling of cold, sharpened metal frightened me. My hand gripped the small agile knife that was supposed to be impaled into the blue Styrofoam board 10 metres away from me. Knives were being tossed by my fellow initiates, some struck into the board, and many clashed with a clutter onto the ground. Eric passed behind us, eyeing each throw critically.

My board stood before me, clean. No knives had been impaled, not one tossed in its direction.

Eric stood behind me. I didn't dare turn, nor give him a snide remark. I knew I was going let him have one over me, another win under his belt. But knives were one of my fears. Gooseflesh covered my arms, and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. Hot breath warmed by back, as I could feel Eric, any closer and I would've been pressed against him.

"Something wrong, initiate?" the condescending tone making me tense.

"No." I tried to muster out a tough retort, yet it came out meek. It made me look weak.

"Then throw it." I turned to look at him, his grey orbs bore into mine.

"If I don't?" questioning him.

He pondered the question for only a moment before he answered me, "then you'll wind up factionless."

Turning back I was met with silence, as the initiates had picked up on the conversation between Eric and I. Jayce looked at me with encouragement, nodding his head to my board.

I tried to remember the stance my brother used back at Candor, practising with the steak knives at home. Aligning myself with the board, my legs apart. I positioned my arm that held the knife just behind my head, while my knifeless arm was extended.

Within that moment, I heard a Thwack. And I flinched back, straight into Eric. The knife had landed inside the bodied outline. But what scared me was where.

"Mirror image. Is that how you got your scar, initiate?" His voice set me over the edge. I spun around to face him, grabbing the second knife that was braced into my belt, pressing it to his cheek.

"Maybe I can give you one, since you're so consumed by mine." My eyes were filled with a fire and aggression that I didn't know I had in me. But Eric didn't back down. We stood there. A standoff, until Katherine's voice brought me back to reality.

"Lex. Stop." My eyes were glassy but I refused to give Eric the satisfaction of seeing me cry. Dropping the knife with a clatter, I ran out of the room, ignoring the calls of Four.

I guess my brother left more of an impact on me then I realised.

* * *

Jayce and Katherine found me staring absentmindedly at the ceiling as I lay soundly on my bed. Jayce had picked up my head and positioned himself on my bed, placing my head into his lap.

"What happened out there Lex?" Katherine's voice was slow and soft, cautious, afraid that I would snap any moment.

"I don't remember. I guess my dauntless side came out to aggressively."

"Wait, how many sides do you have?" Jayce questioned. I tensed, remembering I had a few. In particular two stood out. I looked up at me, plastering on a fake smile.

"Wouldn't you like to know" The sexual innuendo flew straight past his head, Katherine though picking up on it. She smirked, giving me a raised eyebrow. I shiftily shook my head at her.

"Anyways, I'm thinking of getting a tattoo. Come with me?" the sentence surprised me as it came out of Katherine and not Jayce. Pondering about it, I stood up, giving her a nod and thumbs up.

"Why not, sounds like fun."

An hour later I had emerged with my septum pierced, and a lioness surrounded by the Dauntless flames, on the side of my right wrist. My father would always call me his lioness, a strong creature from before the war, who ruled the wild alongside her partner. She was tougher than he was, which appealed to me.

Katherine and Jayce were still being inked, as they chose pieces that would take them a few hours. I wished them luck and left, on a mission to get some answers.

I needed to find Jax.

My brother.


	4. Chapter 4

**So sorry guys that it took me so long to update. I don't particularly like this chapter for some reason as I feel it's not meshing or flowing together well.  
Thank you for the favourites and new followers :) please don't hesitate to review or shoot me a message!**

 **The divergent trilogy is copyright of Veronica Roth.  
I own OC's**

 **Thank you again my lovelies and enjoy:)**

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I was fourteen when my brother defected from Candor, though it was no secret. He had an affinity for knives, and would watch for hours the mass of black running and climbing up buildings, jumping to and fro from the trains. The last time I had seen his chiselled form was on Visiting Day last year. He had told me had been made training leader next to his mentor and trainer Amar, a job that entitled him to train this year's initiates. His second job was in the intelligence sector, a mighty proud position to be in, in Dauntless. My mother had not come, only my father and I. I hung on every word that came out of his mouth. My brother, my hero. I swore to my father that I would defect to Dauntless as we walked back to Candor. He gave me a sad smile, replying with "My Lex the lioness".

I sat at the edge of the chasm, my legs dangling over the emptiness. I had realised a while back that one reason I was so hard on Eric was that he shouldn't have been in his position, training us, but my brother. My brother who had vanished, like he had never existed, only few knew him, less heard of him. It was strange, someone who had a high position was now unheard of. It didn't seem to add up.

I had to speak to my father, he may have the answers to my questions that had plagued me since coming to Dauntless.

As I stood up, I was blocked by a hard form, a head on collision with a brick wall. But upon my discovery it was the person I had dreaded to see. After I had held a knife to his face, he was beyond angry. I had no other name for it.

I couldn't back away, if I tried I would plummet thirty feet to my death. But I was defiant and looked him dead in his beautiful grey eyes. There was no denying that he was beautiful, but deadly.

"It would be a shame if I bumped into you, and you fell to your untimely death." I swallowed the lump that was lodged deep in my throat. His threat was real, his voice dripping with poison.

I wanted to retort, but I couldn't, stuck for words, due to his presence. That was new. As I tried side stepping around him, he caught my wrist and locked his hand around it, hard. He pushed forward and in one swift move dangled me over the chasm. He let go.

I dropped.

I flayed for a spilt second, before my left hand gripped onto the metal floor of the bridge. I pushed my right hand up to hold onto the flooring so I was balanced. I had thanked my training immensely because I had gained muscle mass, particularly my arms, which at this current moment held all of my weight as I tried not to fall to my death.

"I'll give you that, pretty brave." He huffed out, not expecting me to hold on.

I inhaled and exhaled sharply. "Dauntless don't give up. And I want to wipe that pretty little smirk off your face." My voice strained, coming out choppy with every word. My arms started to weaken.

My right hand slipped off, falling beside my body. I did not have the energy to push it back up. I closed my eyes and a vision of Jax flashed before me. I needed answers. I couldn't do that beyond the grave.

Pushing myself with my left arm was difficult and hurt like a bitch, but I wanted to watch Eric's face as I prevailed against him.

My heart plummeted into my stomach as my left hand slipped off the railing, a scream rising out of my throat.

But I didn't feel my bones breaking, a snapping of my skull. Just the force of someone pulling me up, roughly landing onto the cool metallic bridge.

I lay there for a minute, breathing fast, collecting my thoughts.

Looking up, I had expected my executioner to have left, only he stayed.

My eyes bore into his, trying to find an answer in his grey orbs, I was left empty. "Why?"  
He thought for a minute, until his words branded me like a hot rod being struck onto my skin. "You didn't give up. You were brave." With that he started to walk away.

I called after him, turning only his head I slipped out a word that even surprised me. "Thanks." I saw a twitch of his lip.

"You should get some rest. You're going to need it" and with that he had walked away from me for a second time.

* * *

An ice cold substance was thrown over my face with Jayce standing an inch from my head, a wild smile playing on his face, "Rise and shine beautiful. We're going on a field trip." As I rose, Katherine threw my skin tight Capri pants, and a long sleeve top at me. She must have noticed that I had been slowly outgrowing my clothes. I had filled out. My flabby stomach, was tighter, and a slow outline of the abs that I was gaining. My calves and biceps were stronger as I was now able to throw 50 kilo weights or kick the punching bag watching it fly several feet away with ease.

We stood huddled together, waiting for the train to come past. Katherine was trying to fish-tail plate my hair, something she learn't in a book at Erudite, while Jayce kept jumping up and down, his enthusiasm was contagious as I laughed at him.

"What time will the train be here?" Eric's voice was heard cutting through the rowdy crowd of dauntless transfers and born.

"After a year you still can't memorize the train schedule" Four brooded glancing down at his watch. He signaled two with his hands, indicating two minutes until the train would make its destination.

"That's why I have you here." His voice hinted with sarcasm, but it was good to know that Eric could joke, if he wanted to.

Before Four could give Eric an answer, the sound of the train alerted us to its presence. We started to prepare to jump on board, something I could never get used to or enough of. Four and Eric started to run, and not waiting for the rest of the group I ran after them, wanting to make sure I would successfully jump on without dying.

Within minutes every last one of us were in the first couple of carriages. I sat with Katherine and Jayce on one side of the carriage wall, juxtaposing Sarah and Kyle who looked quite comfortable with each other.

The sound of Eric's voice cut through the train, everyone coming to a halt and silence.

"Capture the flag. Relatively simple, capture the other teams flag first." Eric dropped two duffle bags, landing with a thud. Bending down to open them he revealed slender blue and red looking objects. "Neurostimdarts. Stimulates the pain of a real gun, though unfortunately lasts for sixty seconds. Four and I are captains." He gestured to Four, a sign of allowing him to pick first. Arrogant bastard.

"Jayce."

"Lex." Snapping my head to face Eric I was met with his signature smirk and eyebrow raise. Belligerently I stood next to him for the next five minutes as Eric and Four were picking teams. We were the last to get off. Katherine, Adam and Michael were chosen on our team, with a handful of Dauntless.

We were almost invisible as our dark attire camouflaged us, except for the pocket light that hung on our clothes. A glimmer of light protruded out of Eric's shirt and into the middle of our huddled up group.

"Who's got a plan?" this was new, I thought Eric would of no doubt be leading this mission, but then it occurred to me that we would be graded on this.

Katherine's Erudite brain clicked on as she whispered to us, though pointing her question to Eric "where did you hide the flag last year?"

"Four's team hid it on the Ferris wheel. Ours was placed in an abandoned building." His tone was bitter. I couldn't help but push him.

"I'm assuming you lost?" He provided me no answer, only a dirty grimace.

We stood there arguing back and forth between all of us thinking of a plan to thwart Fours' team and find their flag, all the while keeping ours away from them. I shifted away from the arguing mass to one of the thick oak trees. If I climbed it high enough I would be able to gain a good vantage point. Climbing was a little unnatural for me. Jax was always braver, scaling the buildings like the Dauntless, I would only sit back and watch in awe, but I was flexible enough and my long legs gave me an advantage in reaching the branches.

I had reached one of the highest branches, it was think and long enough to hold my weight, giving me enough room to scope out Four's flag. In my searching I hadn't paid attention to down below until a thick hand wound around my leg. The jerk nearly made me topple over until I steadied myself with branches around me.

"Find their flag yet?" Why Eric had followed me was beyond my thinking.

"Looks like the lighthouse. Over there" I pointed out with my chin, fearing if I let go of the branch I would fall, and I didn't want to give Eric the satisfaction of watching such an ungraceful act.

"Good. Well I think this tree gives us good coverage if we hide the flag up here." He took the yellow neon flag from his vest handing it to me. Our fingers brushed, and a spark of electricity burst between us. His fingers were surprisingly warm, though the late September weather had left us in our thickest clothing. Taking the flag I hooked it on a branch, concealing it.

As I climbed back down, Eric had already dismissed the initiates into several groups, spreading themselves out to find the flag, while he and I guarded ours.

We stood on either side of the tree, alert to any sounds or movements which would cause us into action. Though I was curious, and my curiosity couldn't be kept silence.

"So"

"So what?" annoyance radiating by the tone of his voice.

"So why me?" I turned my head to catch his reaction to my question.

"Because Four picked Jayce. You were second best." I couldn't help be offended but I knew he was lying.

"You're a shitty liar. And you allowed Four to pick first" I scoffed, rolling my eyes yet continued "so again. Why pick me at all for your team?"

He didn't warrant me with an answer as his attention shuffled to noise. We both spun around when a crunching sound, like boots snapping on twigs sounded. Our guns were up and alert. Focusing my eyes I saw the swiftest of movements and my fight response kicked in. I shot at it.

A high pitched squeal alerted me to one of the falling initiates I had shot at, and upon examining closer I noticed it was Sarah, which made me realize that Kyle wouldn't be far behind. My assumptions were correct as I turned to face Eric. A gun was aimed at Eric's back. He hadn't had time to register the enemy behind him, Kyle being a swift and soundless mover. But I was faster and my aim was on point. I shot at Kyle, the dart landing into his shoulder. This alerted Eric to our fallen enemy.

"You're welcome." He shot me an unappreciative frown. I had just saved his ungrateful ass, and that was how he repaid me. Jerk. I was pissed, and my next action would probably leave me dangling from the chasm, but I had to do it.

I had shot Eric in the leg.

"What the fuck." I was surprised that Eric was able to not scream, which would of gave away our position, only he doubled over, his right knee landing hard on the dirt covered ground.

He picked out the dart, and shot two at Kyle and Sarah to keep them down, before turning the gun on me. I did the same.

We were now standing gun and gun aimed at each others faces. Like enemies on a battlefield. We both shot.

Heat ran through my body and I screamed out an agonized grunt, my legs gave out and I fell, landing on my knees. Eric had hit me square in the chest. My hands shook as I picked out the dart. The ends of it coated in a thin layer of blood. Though the pain still radiated through me.

I looked up to see Eric standing straight, his natural smug smile playing on his face. I had missed. I stood up, though it pained me to do so. He turned his gun was clocked and up straight again, but luckily for me aimed in front of him, as we could now hear thunderous running. I did the same as I aimed my gun and stood on the other side of Eric. We were outnumbered.

"Again tell me why you thought sending out all of our team to find Four's flag was a good idea?" My voice dripped with sarcasm.

"I don't want to lose."

"You mean, you don't want to lose to Four."

"If you don't shut up initiate, I'll unload my gun straight into your chest."

"That's not very smart. Especially for someone who was from Erudite." I shot him a sideways smirk, and his hand tightened on his gun, his knuckles turning white. It had taken me a while to figure out Eric, as at first I thought I had never seen him before. The first time being on the roof of the Dauntless compound when we were to jump. But his face had changed over the years, and I remembered I had seen him pea-cocking his way around school in his blue uniform, a trait of Erudite.

I didn't give him a chance to respond as I shot out at the mass of bodies running our way. It wasn't until my third shot that I had noticed we were shooting at our fellow team members. Michael was the unsuspecting target who was on the end of my bullet filled wrath.

"What's going on?" Katherine had appeared with the others by her side, the neon orange flag, Fours, in her hand. We had won.

"I didn't realize we had won" Eric and I's shooting battle deterred us from what was happening in the game, my eyes found Michael, pain was evident on his face "Michael I'm so sorry, I thought you were someone on the other team." He gave me a sympathetic smile, a sign of forgiveness. So Amity of him.

"Alright let's go. Train will be here soon." The resounding voice of Four cut through the awkward tension between the situation at hand.

* * *

Music was blaring and drinks were being passed around. The pit was filled with the initiates and Dauntless born. The party being thrown in honour of the passing of Stage one. Bodies were being grinded against each other, and I had sipped from several different red cups that had been passed around me, yet I couldn't help but feel empty. Deciding to leave, even after the complaints from my friends, I thought it best to get a good night's rest as tomorrow was a day I was looking forward to immensely.

As I was walking out from the mass of bodies, my attention had been caught, as I saw Eric walk out with Max, leading away from the party and down the hall. My curiosity had gotten the better of me. And so I followed.

I stopped behind one of the corner walls, as Max and Eric had started an interesting conversation.

"Any of the initiates caught your attention." The voice had come from Max as it sounded older and deeper than Eric's. He responded.

"Maybe one. Though I don't know whether to write it up as defiance for the system or defiance against me. Though I'm pointing to the latter."

"Who? Lex?" I assumed Eric had nodded as Max continued. "She's been asking questions about her brother."

"Jax Manton. Was his family not notified?"

"No. Jeanine holds 'Faction before Blood' quite dearly. She thought it best to not tell them since they were not his family anymore."

"How she convinced the Dauntless compound not to say a word is beyond me."

My heart was racing, my head spinning as ran. I couldn't hear the rest of the conversation, though my conscious screamed that I should of, as it would have benefited me further.

Notified. Faction before Blood. Jeanine. They had kept swimming in my head. What had that meant? Why was Jeanine hell bent on keeping my brother a secret.

Where the hell was he?

It was time do get some answers. Visiting Day would help provide that. I prayed my father would come.


	5. Chapter 5

**Sorry for the inconsistent posting. I've just been so busy with university, but nevertheless I have only a couple of weeks left and then I'm all yours :)**

 **Hope you enjoy. Please review if you like! Thank you my lovelies :)**

 **Veronica Roth holds all right to the Divergent trilogies. OC's are mine!**

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My father was a tall slim man, much like my mother, but with a kinder face. He had aged over the years but looking at him now showed how much he had withered away just in the short time I had been gone. He stood alone in the mass of whites, blues and blacks. My friends had ran straight up to their families, it took me some time to reach my father as I took one step in front of another.

I could feel him shake when he wrapped his arms around me, and I felt warm in the enclosed space. I had remembered Eric's lecture this morning, ' _faction before blood'_ echoed in my head, but I pushed the thought aside. I had missed my father. I could feel his eyes, Eric's, on the back of my head but I refused to allow him to ruin this time between my father and I. I needed him, and I needed his answers.

He took my hand and led me away from the mass of families, leading me towards the Chasm. How could he have known this place so well? We stopped short before the bridge, the water was crashing louder than I had ever heard it, or maybe it was my heart beating either way I was overwhelmed, a sunken feeling at shoved its way to the bottom of my stomach.

"Alexia how have you been?" I was put off. My father never called me by my full name. Alarm bounds sounded and I knew something was wrong.

"Dad what's wrong?" We didn't have time for small chit chat. I needed answers and from the likes of my father he had them.

"Your brother. Have you seen him yet?" sounding like he had swallowed gravel, my father was in pain. He knew his son was in trouble.

"No. Every time I ask about him, no one gives me a straight answer. Dad wants going on? Where's Jax?" I was frantic, my voice rising up several octaves. Sensing my panic, my father took my hand, leading me to the centre of the bridge, placing me against the railing, he in front of me. He placed his hands on either side of my shoulders.

"Listen to me Lex. Your brother and I had an arrangement once he passed his initiation. Every month we would meet near the old abandoned building near Candor. He would show up without fail every month, same time same place." I nodded as he continued "three months ago he didn't turn up. I thought it odd, but thought maybe he couldn't have come due to work. Yet the next month he did not show and the following again. I knew that something was wrong."

I had to process this for a minute. Questions were swirling in my head. Every month. My brother and father met. In secret.

"How come you never told me?"

"I don't have time for this right now. Lex I need you to find your brother. Something is going on here in Dauntless and no-one is telling me anything. This is why I pushed you to come here Lex. You're brave, just like your brother. You're the only one that can find him." He was panicked. I could see it in his eyes. He had sacrificed his only daughter to find his only son.

I turned my head to the entrance of the pit to make sure no-one was listening or would enter. "Dad. Last night I heard two of the leaders taking about Jax. They mentioned Jeanine, and the terms 'faction before blood'. They were trying to cover up something." We were pressed for time because before we knew it, Eric had showed up, his heavy footsteps alerting us to his presence.

My father felt Eric's presence as his form took on a rigid stance, standing in front of me. Eric cleared his throat, his hands clasped behind his back and stepped forward towards my father and I.

"You must be Lex's' father?" His tone was stepping into condescending territory but he masked it well, and my father mistook it for a certain politeness.

My dad extended his hand, a Dauntless gesture, and my earlier question was answered. My father was born Dauntless and transferred to Candor. No wonder my brother and I chose Dauntless. Eric took his hand, shaking it firmly. His eyes told a different story, as if they were reading into my father's soul, searching for something. Answers, lies. I couldn't place my finger on it.

Eric abruptly dropped my father's hand and gave him a gracious nod, departing soon after. I waited until I was certain Eric had left. His actions just then were extremely mind-boggling but all the same insightful. I turned back to my father. He nodded giving me the sign I should continue talking as he moved in front of me again.

"Like I said, I think Jeanine or Erudite have something to do with Jax's disappearance. Apparently no-one knows where he is either, some have no idea who is. Dad want do you want me to do?" he took a moment to ponder over my words, my question left him in two minds. Protecting his daughter or finding his son. He went with the latter, like I knew he would, and I felt nothing but love for him.

"You need to pass stage 2. Don't draw attention to yourself Lex, especially in this stage. Once you've passed, choose a job which will require you to be working closely with the other factions and the leaders here. You'll be a fly on the wall." His words were frantic, but I understood perfectly. A beeping sound suddenly signalled around us, and looking down, his watch was flashing. A sign that he needed to go. We stood there looking at each other for another minute, until I felt heat radiating around my shoulders. I was engulfed in his chest, his arms wrapped around me. A shiver ran down my back as hot breath tingled my ear, his last words to me.

"Think Dauntless Lex. Be careful. I can't lose you too." he unwrapped his arms around me, giving me a soft kiss on my forehead before I heard his footsteps clatter away. I allowed only a single tear to shed, before wiping it away from my face.

* * *

I sat between Jayce and Cain, one of the Dauntless born and first jumper. He was ranked first among the Dauntless born while Jayce was ranked first in our initiates group. Eric and Four had revealed the ranks after our families had left, and I was sitting pretty in second, having won two out of three fights, and my skills in weapons was above average. My father's words were ringing in my head, and having pondered on them I realized that my divergence would affect the outcome of whatever stage two would be.

One by one, my fellow initiates were being called into a white room, and would not return, assuming they went out the back door. I had been sitting there for an hour, my right leg constantly shaking up and down, until Jayce firmly gripped it, stopping it from moving. I was grateful, and turned to give him a smile, though his eyes were solely focused on Katherine, who had just been called by Four. I felt him go stiff.

"You like her don't you?" His eyes met mine with a sudden aggression, and a twitch of his lips gave me the answer I was looking for.

I let the matter go, focusing on the wall in front of me, wondering about the very detailed job I needed to get into. If I was good enough I could become leader which allowed me to work with the fellow leaders, but that might take attention away from finding my brother. I had ran through several jobs until my name was called out.

I entered the room to find only a chair, a computer and various wires.

"Have a sit Lex." My legs pushed themselves in front of another, until I felt my back slide against the sit, and my feet only slightly touching the floor. "Stage two is all about facing your fears. Some people have 10 to 15 really bad ones. You'll only go through one today. Now to get out of your fear you can go two ways, slow your heart rate down, or face your fear head on." Four turned my head exposing my neck, a small prick told me he had just injected a needle. My eyes started to droop, the last thing I heard was Four. "Be brave Lex."

 _My eyes adjusted to the bright lights around me, until I focused on the only door ahead. Pushing the handle of the door, it swung open, revealing my home back in Candor. It was the same as I had left it. Small, tight and suffocating with its bleach like smell. My mother was big on cleanliness as she would always refer being clean is like being truthful. I just always thought she was nuts. I called out. Once. Twice. No answer. Something was wrong, there was always someone home, and the eeriness of silence sent shivers down my back. I walked slowly into the kitchen and grabbed the butchers' knife from the top draw. I was Dauntless and I had to think like one. My heart was beating a million miles a second, and my gut told me to check the closet door. My footsteps were heavy, each step felt like dragging lead forward, but I continued until I reached the closet door._

" _Come on Lex, you can do this" I tried to amp myself up. "You're not afraid." Reaching for the door handle, I swung it open abruptly. The knife I held clattered to the ground, merely missing my foot. My hands reached and cupped my cheeks, as I muffled out a gasp. The closet was filled with the bodies of my family, bloodied and piled on top of each other. Though this fear was far from over as I heard heavy stomping behind me. He was here. He was here to kill me. I turned around to feel his hands wrapping around my throat and pushing against the wall, hard. He lifted me above the ground, my feet barely touching the floor._

' _Think dauntless.' my hands clawed at his, trying to pry him off._

" _Come on. I had you once, I'm not going to let you go again." My vision was becoming blurry, spots dancing in front of my eyes, but I wasn't going to give up. I smacked my forehead against his nose as hard as I could. His hands unwound from me to cup his bleeding nose. I took this chance of freedom to grab the cleaver now on the floor. I stood up, and I saw his fear in his eyes._

" _I have lived with this scar every day of my life from you. Now it's your turn." I swung._

Gasping for breath, I ripped the wires that were stuck on my temple, scratching myself in the process. Four came to my side taking my shaking hands in his. "You were good Lex. Only took you seven minutes." I could only nod, not really processing his words.

I took another minute to collect myself then I walked out the back door, to find Jayce and Katherine waiting for me.

"We've made a vow to not talk about our fears unless we really need to." Katherine's voice held some sadness into hers, and I could tell her fear got to her too. I only nodded, and gave her a squeeze to let her know I felt the same. We walked out all three of us until we found ourselves outside the tattoo parlor. I had enough points to get another tattoo as I hadn't gone overboard on my shopping trip. Katherine and Jayce agreed with my choice and we walked inside to choose a new set of ink design.

As Katherine and Jayce deliberated over their choices I knew what I wanted to get, and sought out the first person I could find. It was Tori, the same tattoo artist who inked me my first time.

"Another one?" she asked, an eyebrow cocked up.

"Yeah, and it's a design I have in mind." She called me over by a wave of her hand to sit in the chair. I rolled up my left sleeve, up to my shoulders and turned my triceps towards her.

"I want in the inside of my arm, one of the throwing knives" I traced with my right finger the length of it, reaching a few centimeters above my elbow, but below my armpit "and an **x**."

"Okay. Why the x though?" I hesitated, but told her as it was nothing to be ashamed about.

"For each one of my fears. I'll add an **x** each time I gain a fear, and once I've felt I've faced it, I'll have you ink a line throughout them."

"Sounds awesome. Very original in a room full of dauntless." I gave her a smile and turned my head, trying to drift off in dream world while she worked.

Twenty minutes later I was sporting a white bandaged and sensitive left arm, being flanked by Katherine and Jayce as we made our way to the cafeteria. The atmosphere was heavy, as not many initiates were talking, the rowdiness coming from the Dauntless members.

* * *

 _My breath was shaky, my eyes closed tight as I could feel my body being lowered further into the ground, the wooden box I was in, shut tight with massive bolts that had been screwed in. darkness surrounded me, and with a thump, I had stopped moving. Slowly I felt soft vibrations, and dull thud. It continued, realizing that they were throwing dirt over the box. I was being buried, buried alive. I had only enough room to jam my knees up as they hit the wooden top over and over again. Though the box didn't give out, still keeping its shape, as I dragged my fingers over the soft dents. My knees were bloody, as wetness soaked my pants._

 _But this wasn't real. It's a sim._

 _Just a sim._

My eyes registered the bright lights in the white simulation room, the sound of beeping coming from the computer. I turned my head to Four, as he walked over and carefully pulled away the wires attached to my temples.

"What was my time?" He took a moment, looking somewhat hesitant and angry I thought, yet he answered me.

"Four minutes thirty. Faster than the average Dauntless." That was faster than my last time, and I could feel my father already lecturing me about not drawing attention to myself. I was in mid thought when Four took me by surprise. He grabbed my arm, softly turning his eyes to face mine.

"How did you get out of the box Lex?"

"I just did."

"You just did. I've never seen anyone escape like that. Dauntless don't escape confinement like that." His words were harsh and his gripped tightened. Something was wrong. "What did you get for your aptitude test?"

"Dauntless." And Abnegation, though I wasn't going to tell him that.

"Now I know why you didn't get Candor. You're a pretty good liar Lex, but you answered too quickly. What else did you get?" He let my arm go, losing his defensive stance and eyes held no anger in them anymore.

"Dauntless. And Abnegation." My palms had gone sweaty as I played with my hands harshly, going a deep crimson red.

"You can't tell anyone." His words caught me off guard. "Do you understand Lex, no-one can know about this."

"You're like me too aren't you? Divergent?" something flickered in his eyes, though I couldn't put my finger on it.

"I'm surprised you didn't get Erudite on your test. You smart and perspective." It was then I had remembered my test and the old Abnegation man who entered my results.

' _Very strange my dear. Dauntless and Abnegation. Though the third is too dangerous to tell you. I won't give you that option to choose.'_

"I think I did. The man that administrated my test mumbled on about not giving me the option to choose it."

"Lex, you can't escape your fears like that anymore. Divergents are being hunted. You have to think Dauntless. Okay, think Dauntless." He gave me a push towards the back door, and told me to never repeat this conversation again as he wiped away my latest fear landscape.

* * *

It was nearing onto three in the morning, my mind replaying over and over again my fears. I was leaning against the bridge, my legs curled into my chest as I rested my chin on my knees. Every time I closed my eyes, my brain would go through the last two days on repeat. My face was looking tired, and bags under my eyes and appeared.

I sensed him before he spoke, and already my mood went from shitty to even shittier. Fucking Eric.

Turning my head to acknowledge him I recalled in surprise when he sat next to me. This was a first.

"Its past curfew initiate."

"Yep and the sky is blue and tomorrow I have to deal with another fear. What's new?" sarcasm dripped from my mouth.

I heard him sigh, not giving me his usual Eric retort.

"Lex I don't have time for this." I would've of smiled as he remembered my name, but I had known Eric now for the last couple of weeks and he wasn't one for long and deep talks, or not being a condescending ass.

"Something's wrong." His eyes met mine, and I could see how tired he really was. Like he had a weight around his shoulders. He was misjudged, masking his personality with anger and intimidation tactics. But it was here that I saw he was just a young guy, filling some pretty big shoes.

"You remind me of my brother." In a split second he was on his feet dragging my arm with him, pushing me against the wall, hard. Anger seeped into his eyes, his words were venomous.

"You're pushing it initiate. I am your superior and you will refer to me as that. I am not your friend, nor will I ever be." His hand radiated heat throughout my body, his grip was tight and no doubt would leave bruises. "Do you understand?" I was never fearful of Eric. Up until now. Something ticked him over the edge, and I was just given my first clue. Eric knew my brother, or knew what has happened to him. And by his reaction it wasn't good. I nodded as his grip tightened, he held me for a minute longer until he released me, pushing me towards the hall of the dormitories.

Damn it Lex.

I was playing with fire. I needed to get inside Eric's head.

I needed him to fall for me.

Fuck.


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry for the delay. Here is chapter 6!  
Divergent is owned and written by Veronica Roth and associates  
All OC's are mine :)**

 **Again reviews are most welcomed! Enjoy my lovelies :)**

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My throat was dry my voice hoarse, as I had been speaking for hours with Katherine, a tactic and a nice distraction from the impending final test before we became full Dauntless members, no longer initiates. But with all the girl talk we had the pressure of finding answers and in turn leading a dangerous mission was weighing on me.

Staring up at the high ceiling it reminded me of the nights that my brother and I would climb onto the roof of our house, watching the stars light up the night sky until the rising of the sun, as we would speak for hours on anything and everything. Some nights we would just stare up uttering not one word, the silence said everything between us. My brother was always Dauntless, but now I question if I have ever been. Am I truly Dauntless, or did I just choose because of the pressures of my brother, and now my father. I was raised Candor but taught the Dauntless way. My brother taught me how to hold a gun, using a small broom, having me stand for hours, fixing my stance, pretending to shoot at non-existent targets, my father would sometimes, after work when mother was still not home, would teach me how to fight, how to protect myself, especially after my attack. Gingerly touching my scar that I once hated with a fiery passion, now brought back memories of the first time my brother truly showed his Dauntlessness. I smiled at the memory.

It was still deep in the night, the sounds of soft snoring filled the dormitory but I couldn't sleep, my memories and fears replaying a strange movie throughout my brain over and over again, much like the previous nights. Flipping my sheets off me, I reached for my boots slipping them on, shrugging my jacket over my camisole, my legs though were still bare, short shorts covering my bottom, barely reaching mid-thigh. My place of rest was the chasm, a place where most feared, I however loved. Droplets of water splattered on my exposed thigh, leaving a wet trail down my leg, watching the different patterns they were making. My head rested on the cool metal railing, and what felt like deja-vu, came the heavy sounds of boot cladded footsteps coming my way. I rolled my eyes involuntarily, knowing what was going to come.

"What are you, an insomniac, initiate?" His voice sent several hairs rising on my neck. The bridge vibrated with its sudden shift in weight as Eric sat down beside me.

"Your constant mood swings are giving me whiplash." Turning to look at him I thought I would receive a scolding from the young leader, I was however surprised when I saw a shift of his lips, his eyebrow cocked in the air. "As for being an insomniac, you're probably right." I chuckled a little as the realization of having a laid back conversation with Eric was becoming a reality. He didn't give me a reply, silence filled the air, as we both stared at the crashing water splattering against its rocky walls, down to the unknown floor of the chasm. We sat there for what felt like hours, his watch however registered only a thirty minute time lapse. It was the first time Eric and I had been in the same vicinity without either being shoved off the chasm or a knife to the face, or a screaming match, just a calm silence.

My brother's face appeared, etched in my brain, a constant reminder of my new found mission to bring answers to his disappearance, my number one target sitting just to my left. I sighed through my nose, because even though Eric, was cruel, harsh and somewhat psychopathic he was still a person, with real feelings and emotions, hurting him wouldn't feel too good, my heart already aching at the prospect of his hurt. I turned to look at him, to see he was intently staring back at me. And for the first time I saw seventeen year old Eric, the young Dauntless leader, as just a man. Nothing more, nothing less.

His blue-grey orbs swam with curiosity, mine the same. Trailing my eyes across his face, I stopped at his round, pink lips how they were slightly parted, wanting to see him smile for the first time. My eyes travelled back to meet his, where they continued to look in my direction.

Subconsciously my head tilted up to his, only slightly, and I could see his moving just the same. My posture grew straighter and somehow I had ended on my knees, still look up at him. A pressure came to sit at either side of my waist, his hands groped my sides, pulling me flush to him, and only now I registered that I was straddling our big bad leader. My hands which were by my side hanging limply, were now placed on either side of his arms.

The smell of mint and musk filled my senses, leaving me slightly hazy, my lips parted ever so little, a breathy moan escaped me. I could see a twitch of his lips, a sign that he knew what he could make me do, with just a little touch. I bit down on my lip to stifle anymore sounds that I might make, my forehead pressed to his, the first mode of contact I made. His nose traced alongside mine, and when he reached down to the button of my slender nose he played with my septum piercing, the feel of cool metal, awakening my senses. My eyes shut when I felt cool breath near my ear, as he bit down on my right earlobe, his tongue glided up and down my piercings, my hands gripping on his arms tighter. His hands reached up to unzip my jacket, pushing it down to reveal my very tight camisole, which pushed my breasts up- a buy Katherine forced me to get- his eyes filled with lust when he looked back into my eyes.

Suddenly I was standing over him, after pushing myself from his lap, fastening my jacket up. This isn't how I wanted my first time to go, not here where all of Dauntless could see me, and not with Eric. I was angry that he saw me that way, easy and cheap. My first thought of not wanting to hurt him now was completely gone, replaced with a fiery passion to watch him burn in a world full of hurt and pain.

"I'm not some quick lay if that's what you thought." My words were icy, my hands in fists, my nails digging hard into my palm, enough to break the skin.

He stood just as quickly, scoffing, and tried hastily to gain his dignity back with my sudden rejection "If that was your impression of me wanting to fuck you initiate, you're surely mistaken. I wouldn't want to go down there anyway, god knows where you've been." He hadn't had time to register my hand colliding with his face, as he stumbled back a small fraction, his palm cupped his now marked face.

His head slowly turned, inch by inch, his eyes that shone with a fire and wrath set its sights on me. But I was brave, reckless and stubborn that was for damn sure, but I would not run and cower like many would in the face of fear. And Eric was not someone I feared. _Please, who are you kidding kiddo, you are scared shitless of the guy_ my consciousness gave me a once over, before scoffing and hiding away in the back of my head. With each step he took, I stepped back, until we were flush and flush, facing each other, my back pressed against the wall.

Heavy breath invaded my senses as he snarled down at me, his voice dripping with such venom a snake would be envious. "If you ever touch me like that again initiate, that will be the last time you are able to touch a thing, before your pathetic friends find your body sprawled broken and mangled at the bottom of the chasm." He waited for a moment to allow the words to register. "Do you understand me initiate?"

 _Don't say it, don't say it. Just agree with our psychopathic leader, for the sake of us Lex_ I internally screamed at my conscious to be quiet, before giving Eric a big and long nod of my head. I was getting under his skin, my sudden rejection and defiance was not something he was used too, nor from such a person, a woman no less, emasculating the big bad leader of Dauntless.

"Just letting you know, leader, that I won't be an initiate anymore. So maybe you should wipe that superiority complex clean from your big fat egotistical personality. We'll be equals soon." I extended every word, making sure each word was emphasised with meaning.

His double pierced eyebrow cocked only slightly but gave me a wide smirk before leaving me with some chilling words that bared his power. "That's if you pass, initiate."

* * *

I was up earlier than the other initiates, the clock reading we still had one hour to get up before final testings took place. I was still to wound up from last night's conversation with Eric to sleep, so I took a quick shower, before changing and walking down to the cafeteria hall, my dirty blonde locks in loose waves. The cafeteria hall was almost bare, with the expectation from a few Dauntless members, including Four and his friends. I made my way down to them.

"Lex you're up early." Four's voice echoed throughout the hall. Shrugging my shoulders I replied.

"Couldn't sleep. You know big day and all." I tried to act laid back, but Eric's words were on replay, like an annoying song you couldn't turn off.

"Zeke, Shauna, this is Lex. Lex, Zeke and Shauna." Four introduced me to the couple, I gave a gracious nod, sitting down on the edge of the table, picking at a blueberry muffin that was on the table.

"Aaaah the infamous Lex." Zeke caught my attention with this comment, I gave him a perplexed look, arching an eyebrow.

"What's that supposed to mean exactly?" He had caught my curiosity.

A chuckle escaped him before answering me. "Just that you've caused some trouble with a young Dauntless leader."

"You mean Eric? Well at least I know I'm getting under his skin." A light giggle absconding from my lips.

"And why is that exactly?"

"I have my reasons. Anyway must be off, things to do, fears to overcome. Nice meeting you both." I stood up, popping a piece of the muffin in my mouth before making my way back to the dormitory. I was just outside the cafeteria door before a soft pressure wound around my wrist. I turned back to find Four.

"What's wrong?" The look on his face had me questioning his motives.

"I saw you last night." Arching my eyebrow he quickly responded "with Eric."

"And?"

"Why exactly were you with him?"

"For your information Four, he came to me. And why precisely is it to you that I was with Eric?"

"Because his dangerous. A danger to you. Like his a danger to me." His words suddenly clicked in my head. I furrowed my eyebrows together.

"I need to find answers Four."

"Answers to what Lex." I paused for a moment, not sure if I should tell him the truth as to why I was really here, why I was suddenly vested in Eric. _Four told you about his divergence. You can trust him._ This time I had to agree with her, she was right.

"My brother. I need to know what happened to him. And Eric has those answers."

Sound was creeping through the compound, a sign that morning had come, and people were rising for the day. Four leaned into me, whispering in my ear. "Meet me after the test. I'll find you. We'll talk more later." And with that he had vanished with the emerging crowd, leaving me more confused than I started. I turned to the voices that were calling my name, Jayce and Katherine fully dressed, walking hand in hand towards me. I shook my head and gave them a smile, hoping their new found love would give me a hearty distraction before my fear simulation test.

* * *

 _I was in my first fear. Facing the man who had physically scared me for life._

 _I called out. Once. Twice. No answer, but of course no-one would be here. The bodies are the in the closet. I walked slowly into the kitchen and grabbed the butchers' knife from the top draw. I was Dauntless and I had to think like one. My footsteps were heavy, each step felt like dragging lead forward, but I continued until I reached the closet door._

 _Reaching for the door handle, I swung it open abruptly. The knife I held clattered to the ground, merely missing my foot. My hands reached and cupped my cheeks, as I muffled out a gasp. Even facing it again, I still couldn't grip what was happening. The closet was filled with the bodies of my family, bloodied and piled on top of each other. Though this fear was far from over as I heard heavy stomping behind me. He was here. The faceless man. He was here to kill me. I turned around to feel his hands wrapping around my throat and pushing against the wall, hard. He lifted me above the ground, my feet barely touching the floor._

' _Think dauntless.'_

" _Come on. I had you once, I'm not going to let you go again." My vision was becoming blurry, spots dancing in front of my eyes, but I wasn't going to give up. I smacked my forehead against his nose as hard as I could. His hands unwound from me to cup his bleeding nose. I took this chance of freedom to grab the cleaver now on the floor. I stood up, and I saw his fear in his eyes._

" _I have lived with this scar every day of my life from you. Now it's your turn." I swung._

 _I fell. Hard. By back radiated pain, and I looked around to see myself in the wooden box, the coffin quickly being nailed shut as I could feel it being brought further and further to the floor. Next came the heavy thuds of presumably dirt being thrown on my coffin as I was being buried alive. So I began to kick up with my knees, trying to dent the wood somehow to free myself. It didn't work of course. Remember Lex, just breath. Slow down your heart rate and the simulation will think it's done._

 _I was outside the Factionless. Concrete buildings, half torn apart due to the war, stacks of paper and litter was strewn throughout the compound, but there was no-one in sight.  
"Come on Lex." My head snapped up to the sound of his voice. Jax. This wasn't just a fear, but a memory. He ran past me, wearing black slacks and the white Candor Jacket. It was before he deferred, I was thirteen, and Jax thought it would be fun to play hide and seek around the Factionless sector. I cupped my right cheek, it was smooth. No indentation, no mark. _

" _Come on Lex. You're it, come find me." His voice echoed in one of the empty building lofts. My feet had a mind of their own as they started to walk to the sound of his voice, inside the dark and damp empty building._

 _I felt him before I saw him, my spine tingling, the hairs on the back of my neck rose up, as his heavy footed boots came crashing down around me, a tight grip on my arms. The unknown stranger pressed my back against his chest, the poking of his erection stabbed in my lower back. A hand clasped around my mouth, unable to shout for my brother, before I was dragged to the floor, the disgusting stranger soon straddling me as I wrestled for release. I struggled to detach my hand from his grip, but I prevailed cupping it to his face, clawing away at his cheek and neck, until he released his hand from my mouth. This was a simulation though, and I had to pass this fear by myself. But he was quick, and reached for the knife tucked away in his boot, it making harsh contact with my cheek. I felt a wetness pool around my stinging cheek, as blood I could only assume ran down past my cheek and neck. It was dark, but I was certain he still held the knife in his hands. I swung my entire upper body, my forehead connecting to his nose, a sicking crunch sounded, a sign I had broken his nose. Using the sudden shift in momentum, I punched him hard in the neck, and a clanging sounded, a sign he had dropped his weapon. It bounced around my feet, my fingers making fast work in retrieving it, slamming it straight through his eye._

 _I was back in Dauntless. The training room, where three guns, and three knives were lined up side by side, on a small metal table. This was new.  
I had reached the table, and discovered that I had targets. Human targets posed at the end of the room. There heavy breathing and crying alerted me to who they were. My family. My father, my brother and my mother.  
"Pick one." His voice snapped at me, causing me to turn to him. He had a wide smug smirk, hands crossed in front of his chest. Eric. My breathing intensified. He wanted me to choose one who will die. Die by my hands. The guns were quick, painless. But the sound of its firing would only remind me of the day I had to choose a family member to die. The knives terrified me, ever since being attacked, they meant pain and ugliness. But I had to break away from that fear. So killing two birds with one stone, I picked up the sleek, small knife and held it behind my back. My eyes on my family, whose stifling cries tore away at my heart. I closed my eyes and threw. _

_They were crawling around me, several hundred closed upon my legs, climbing up at such a pace, my heart couldn't handle. Their small, furry legs, brushed upon my exposed skin. Spiders. I fucking hate spiders. There was no way around this fear. Breathe Lex. Breathe._

 _My fingers brushed upon something soft and delicate, and soon I discovered my whole body was enclosed in the same material. Light filled the room from the several windows lined against the hard granite wall. I was in Dauntless, but where exactly was not known. A room of some sought, but other than that I was baffled. I could hear pitter patter of feet enter the apartment, and the double doors opened to a little boy, no more than two years of age, a wide grin, grey-blue eyes and sandy blonde hair atop his head come running, jumping on the bed. He shuffled over, and in that time I had escaped the warm cocoon of the blankets to open my arms up as the little boy jumped into them.  
"Mummy." _

_My son. He was my son._

 _He was beautiful, a part of me I never wanted to let go, filled with innocence and kindness. He had my hair, but not my eyes. His eyes resembled those of Eric. And the more I looked at this boy, the more I saw the resemblance of the big bad Dauntless leader._

 _My son played with my hair, his small delicate fingers wrapping around my long locks. I kissed atop is head, breathing in his scent. It was just like Eric's, mint and musk._

 _The sound of a door opening and slamming shut caused my little boy to let go of my hair, turning around swiftly to the presence of someone. He came into view. Eric. My first instinct was to wrap my arms protectively around the little boy, not knowing what was going to happen. How was it that I had created such an innocent being with someone that of Eric. Why did I allow it with Eric was the question._

" _Good you're up." His words were sharp and directed at me, it was clear he felt the same in this fear simulation and in real life towards me. He turned to our son, his eyes warming up slightly as he walked over to where we were sitting. He played with his hair before kissing his forehead. "Go play in the living room. I have to talk with your mum." My son looked at me for confirmation before he left. I nodded, he climbed off to go play on his dad's computer, before Eric shut the doors, leaving him and I alone in the bedroom._

" _It's time you said goodbye to him. Nathan won't understand just yet, but I'll make sure he remembers you."_

" _Wait what do you mean? Time for me to go. Go where Eric?" The sudden feeling of leaving Nathan, my little boy, filled me with dread. No I wasn't going anywhere._

" _You have too. To get better." He ripped of the blankets, pulling me roughly to a standing position as he grabbed both of my arms in one of his hands. "Let's go Lex. He doesn't need to be near your craziness."_

 _No. I'm Dauntless. I won't go. You can't make me go. I frantically looked around, trying my hardest to get out of his death grip, my arms turning numb with his pressure. The doors opened, and several men in blue coats stormed in, each grabbing my arms as Eric released me. He opened up a black duffle bag, filling it with various clothes and toiletry items._

 _The men that had swarmed the apartment forgot about the doors of my bedroom were open, Nathan now witnessing everything that was happening. His tiny feet ran towards me, his little arms clutched around my legs as he witnessed his mother being dragged away from him.  
"No Mummy. No." His wails were breaking my heart with every cry he took. The men tried prying him off me, but he was Dauntless, he was strong and brave. But all it took was one wrong move. As two men forced my son off me, he somehow took a tumble, and his neck collided with the edge of the bed. _

_His crying stopped. And everything around me ceased. Hands that were wrapped around me were now by their own sides, and my knees made harsh contact with the ground. Eric fell with me, our arms extending to pick our son up from the ground. His little head was in my lap, not moving, no sound at all.  
"Baby wake up. Nathan, baby please wake up. Wake up for mummy." His limp body made no movement._

" _Nathan. Nathan, please wake up. NATHAN. NATHAN." My eyes made harsh contact with Eric's. He was crying like I was, but behind his tears were emotions of fury and wrath, directed at me._

 _"Everything you touch, you kill. This is your fault."_

 _No. No._

 _This isn't real._

" _This isn't real."_

* * *

My eyes were bloodshot, tears were still rolling down my face as I looked in the mirror in our dormitory. I was a mix of emotions coming from my fear simulation test, my last fear left me confused and hurt. But most of all afraid. I had not faced my fear and overcame it, but escaped it that of a divergent would, not of a Dauntless person. My fate was sealed. I would be killed.

I was alone, sitting on my bed, mindlessly folding the little garments I had, while everyone was down stairs waiting impatiently for their results. My mind was elsewhere, allowing Four to creep into the room, surprising me with his presence.

"Everything looked good." There was hesitation in his voice, my heart plummeting to the bottom of my chest. I turned to him as he continued. "Except your last fear."

"They know."

Four came to sit by my bed, his hand resting on my shoulder. "No they don't. They think it was brave. No-one is suspicious in how you escaped, due to the fear itself. But you'll be watched. They'll put you under a microscope and wait for you to fail."

"So now what?"

"Now you choose."

* * *

The pit was alive and buzzing, everyone getting unceremoniously wasted and not giving a single care as each initiate passed final testing. Jayce and Adam were the two highest ranking initiates followed by Cain from the Dauntless born. I was surprised to find myself in fourth place, Katherine ranking just behind me. I was Dauntless. I however did not feel like celebrating as Four's words replayed over and over again, my eyes darting around the compound watching each and every member to see if they were watching me. I needed to leave.

Finding myself once again at the chasm, my hands were turning white as I gripped hard onto the metal railing. I smelt him. Like my imaginary son, he wore the same scent. Mint and musk.  
He came to stand by me, leaning against the railing, hands behind his back, grabbing onto the metal bars.

We stood there for several minutes, just thinking and breathing. His voice woke me from my constant waking nightmare.

"Nathan huh?" I hadn't realized I was crying until his thumb gently wiped away the fallen tear, his finger lingering on my cheek. I turned into his hand, my swollen tear filled eyes looked at his.

"I still don't understand it. Or why I had him with you?"

He chuckled softly, "I don't know either, but he was very beautiful." It was the first time I heard emotion apart from anger and cynicism come from his mouth. His words were filled with light humour, his hand that rested on my cheek now came to wrap around my hand. "I've underestimated you."


	7. Chapter 7

**Sorry that it has been a while. I'm currently juggling two jobs and university! Here is chapter 7. I've tried making it a long one.**

 **Again reviews and critiques are much appreciated as it helps any writer better their craft!  
All rights reserved to Veronica Roth, OC's however are mine!  
Enjoy my lovelies **

* * *

"I've underestimated you."

"What the hell does that even mean? For weeks on end his been on my case, giving me hell. And then when he gets me alone, his all, ' _I've underestimated you.'_ His worse than a girl." Katherine threw her pillow at me finding my comment offensive, not liking my comparison of Eric to women. "Sorry. So what do you think?"

Katherine started to snicker, making me turn to her, cocking my eyebrows up in a perplexed look. My hand wound around her pillow, a soft thud echoed around the room as I hit her upside the head with it. "Why are you laughing?"

"Sorry. I think you…well…kind of" she hesitated, her eyes darting around the room, trying not to make eye contact.

"Kind of what?" my voice coming out a little harsh.

"That you kind of like him."

I paused for moment, trying to register her words. I could feel my cheeks blush with red, and a lump had formed in my throat.

"No, I don't like him." However the croak in my voice sounded raspy, the blush of my cheeks and the lack of eye contact gave it away. _You're losing it Candor_ , I could only sense my conscious rolling her eyes at me behind sunglasses and a book.

"Yes you do. And it's okay to admit it. Hell maybe you might tame the guy." Katherine got up from her position on the bed and walked over to me, grabbing my shoulders playful, before stepping behind me and undoing my ponytail.

"What are you doing?" I tried to move my head, but she had a strong grip on it, forcing me to look straight.

"I'm going to curl your hair, and then we are going shopping. There's another party on tonight at one of the dauntless members' apartment. We are going, no buts about it." I didn't have the heart to argue, and relaxed back into her touch as she worked her magic, while I drifted off deep into my mind, thinking about what Katherine had stated. Did I really like Eric? But I couldn't.

* * *

After hours of pampering ourselves, and picking out outfits, Katherine looked like a goddess, her brown locks, sat straight down her back, her face shone with a smoky eye, while wearing a very sexy black dress. After much debating and arguing, I had finally managed to convince Katherine to let me wear, a pair of high waisted black pants, pairing it with a black long sleeved crop top. She had a whinge when I walked out with my boots, but my already long legs didn't need to be any longer. I had to admit I looked pretty, my makeup was quite natural, as I was never one to pack on the makeup, some mascara on my eyes and bronzer on my cheeks matching it with some pink gloss on my lips. I had never felt beautiful, not before my attack and now not after, and the scar that I carried everywhere I went made me feel even less attractive. Jax's words sang in my head. He always thought I was the most beautiful creature in the world, and my scar only brought out my beauty. " _Everyone is flawed Lex. Even the most beautiful creatures in the world. It's the different, the flawed, that make us beautiful."_ My face lit up, and my fingers grazed my scar, trailing it.

"Eric is going to love you." Katherine's sharp voice snapped me back to reality. The sound of Eric's name sent a foreign feeling into the pit of my stomach.

"I'm not here for Eric. And I don't think love is in his vocabulary." I chuckled as we made our way to Zeke's apartment. He graciously offered to host the party.

"Keep telling yourself that toots." She nudged my side as I could only give a shake of my head, a smirk appearing on my face. We had reached Zeke's door, at the same time as Jayce, Adam, Kyle and Sarah, all dressed for the occasion. Michael, the soft hearted Amity transfer had not been seen in days, which worried me. "Is Michael not with you?"

"No. Haven't seen him since the final testing." Kyle shrugged his shoulders apathetically, his tone held no emotions, which I found not surprising, wondering what Sarah saw in him. My eyebrows came together as my forehead creased in worry.

Jayce had knocked on the door, and it flew open a second or two later, a Dauntless member who by the looks of it was already plastered drunk staggered out of the doorway, pushing past Katherine and I with a rough shove as he stumbled down the hallway, his hand clutched to the wall for support. A loud laugh sounded, causing me to turn back to the door. A young boy, maybe only a year younger than us appeared, and in closer inspection he looked very much like Zeke.

"Hey I'm Uriah, Zeke's brother. Come in, get some drinks and start partying." That explained it. We had entered to find people buzzing and roaming, drinks in hand, dancing and grinding on one another, the music blasting. Zeke's apartment was quite large, and where I was standing I could make out four bedroom doors, which probably led to a couple of bathrooms. Furniture had been pushed against the walls, as people filled nearly every crevice of the spacious apartment.

I was wasn't one for parties, it wasn't in my nature to get drunk nor did I attend any parties to drink. Katherine and Jayce were dancing on the makeshift dance floor, as were the rest of my friends. Deciding that I wanted some air, I squeezed past the sweaty heaving bodies of the mass, and slid open the balcony door. Luckily no one was out here, allowing me to collect my thoughts.

Tomorrow. Tomorrow I needed to make a decision, which would then require me to start collecting answers, both for my dad and myself. Jax. Divergent. Eric. All three were connected somehow, and to find answers about Jax's disappearance I needed to get them from Eric, who was according to Four, a divergent hunter. _This is going to be fun_. "Shut up." I whispered to myself quietly.

"Talking to yourself?" His voice was like swallowing glass, and I hadn't needed to turn around to know who it was. He came to stand beside me, leaning against the barricade, two beers in his hand. He passed one to me, shifting my face to look at his as I gingerly accepted it, turning back to face the city lights. I sipped the beer slowly, the gold liquid slid down my throat warming its way down my oesophagus, heating my chest against the bitter wind of outside. I could feel my heart beating hard against my ribcage, and if you listened closely you could hear it thumping, hard. I wasn't normally nervous around Eric, but tonight was an exception, and Katherine's voice continued to flutter around in my head. Maybe I did like him. Under all the bravado act, Eric was strong and powerful, but humorous, and beautiful.

His shoulder brushed mine as he shuffled over to me, and it was then that I realised the little skin on my stomach that was showing, radiated with gooseflesh. He was attentive enough to realise I was cold, and beyond his bad boy exterior came closer to me to radiate body heat. I sighed through my mouth, an involuntary reaction, and his attentive self, picked up on it.

"What is in that mind of yours?" His light tone caught me off guard. Turning around to capture his face, I smirked slightly, my eyes lighting with amusement and giddiness. His grey-blue orbs weren't filled with anger, or annoyance, but for the first time in my experience with curiosity and wonder.

"If I told you, we'd be here all night." A hearty laugh escaped his lips, a shiver running down the length of my spine hearing such sounds coming from him. It was beautifully different, a welcomed change from the previous times he would chuckle with sinister aggression in his tone. He took a swig of his beer, my eyes wandering to his lips, the way it curved, and when he tongue thrust out between the soft pink tissues of his lips to lick any spillage of the golden liquid. I wondered what it would be like to kiss him, what he would taste like. _Get your head out of the gutter. Get some stinkin answers Lex._

"So did you follow me out here?" I inwardly yelling at myself for sounding so timid. Watching the way he tapped his forefinger along the neck of his bottle, as he was contemplating his answer, I couldn't help but feel a little happy that Eric was out here with me, and not some hot random chick he probably would be banging. _Lex, honey. First you want to kill him, and now you want to bang him. I'm getting dizzy._ Man would she ever shut up.

"Maybe. You've gotten me curious. And no girl has ever done that to me before." I had to respect his honesty. I smirked against the lip of my beer bottle before downing a hearty gulp, hoping the liquid courage would allow me to be brave tonight. _It's time Lex. Answers above all else._

"Really? Should I feel special?" His eyes shone with a glint of amusement, his head etching closer to mine, as I shifted my body to face his, I hadn't realised that my back was now against the railing, his body towering over mine. The feeling of cold metal radiated my hand as I clutched onto the barricade, while the other held my beer bottle, between only my thumb and forefinger.

"Very." He purred almost seductively, his finger, calloused and hard, gently caressed the bottom of my lip, tracing them ever so slowly. It would have been interpreted as a romantic gesture had it been anyone else in my situation, but the look of amusement that was once present in his eyes, now was replaced by a harsher happiness. Like a cat watching its prey slowly die due to its torture. I suddenly felt like a moth, my wings being ripped apart by my predator, as he watched happily of my sudden exposure of vulnerability. I was playing a dangerous game.

His hand that was gracing my face, had made its way seductively slow down the front of my chest, his index finger, pressing down against my top, in between my breasts, until it stopped at the hem of my shirt, his eyes were still locked with mine, and a slight twitch of his lips played on his face as he slowly, inch by inch, crept his finger under my shirt, still playing with its material. If I clutched my beer bottle any harder it would shatter, his fingers, tantalisingly slow, crept there higher, splaying across my navel, my breath hitched when I felt both his hands make their way to my ribcage, clutching hard against my ribs. His beer bottle, sat perfectly upright on the barricade.

A wetness pooled between my legs, making me rub my thighs together, as he pushed our bodies closer. Heat was radiating between us, my head getting dizzy, and I didn't know whether it was from the alcohol or the effect Eric was having on me. _Get a grip Lex._

I placed my bottle next to his, not caring if it stayed there or not, miraculously it did, as I placed my hands by his hips, my fingers pushing his fitted black tee up, as my fingers came in contact with his flesh. They pressed hard into both sides of his hip bones, caressing them in a circular pattern, until I was brave enough to push them higher, burying my hands underneath his shirt, where I lightly scarped my fingernails up and down on his lower back. An inaudible sigh left his mouth, a smirk played on my face.

A sharp prick in my neck caught my attention, as Eric's head was now buried in the side of my neck, his double brow piercing scored into my skin, his mouth leaving open wet kisses, his tongue swirled around, as he suckled my skin. My knees buckled under his intensity, and if he continued I wouldn't be able to hold out much longer. My fingers tightened, my nails now struck hard against his skin, trying to hold myself up. A gasp evacuated out of my mouth when he bit down hard, just below my collarbone. My hands wound around his tee-shirt and I pushed him away, my fingers lifted to where he marked me. Luckily there was no blood, but his mark would take some time to fade away, no doubt his plan all along.

"Like I said. I'm not some easy lay. You'll have to work harder than that." My voice came out airy, but I was proud of myself, as no matter how much I had wanted to do the dirty deed with Eric, I would let him stew a little more. I had to make him trust me, fully, and no matter how much it hurt me to think about hurting him, I had to think of my family, and the bigger picture. Walking around him, I couldn't help but give him a small condescending pat on his shoulder before exiting, but Eric was not someone to walk away without the final word, as he pulled my wrist, making me turn to face him. Warm hands grasped the sides of my face, and his plush lips, made contact with mine, in a very chaste kiss. It lasted all of a few seconds, before he left me tracing my lips, my eyes finding his back as he walked back into the apartment.

"Son of a…"

* * *

The party was still in full effect, bodies grinding, drinks were pouring, floating around the room. My eyes roamed around the large apartment, trying to distinguish the different bodies and faces, looking for my friends. Katherine and Jayce were sucking each other's' faces off, while Kyle and Sarah were absorbed in drying humping each other, in the middle of the makeshift dance floor, the rest of the boys were trying, and failing miserably, in trying to play hooky with a few of the dauntless girls. My curls bounced around as I shook my head at their antics, walking towards the front door as I decided to call it a night, the party scene not really my cup of tea.

My left hand felt irregular pressure, jolting me to a standstill as I discovered a hand wound around my wrist, pulling me towards them. Defence mode kicked in and swung my fist, hoping it would collide with the mysterious figure, but they swiftly dodged it, my hand swung against air. Before I could react again, they revealed themselves.

"Lex, stop. It's me."

"Four?" This night was full of surprises, and by the strong nauseating feeling in my gut was telling me that it wouldn't end the way I wanted it to. "What the hell?"

"Meet me at the chasm in thirty minutes." Before I could answer him back, Four walked back into the crowd, camouflaging himself.

"So what needed my attention at two in the morning Four?" The party was still raging on, and Four's cryptic message had me on guard throughout, waiting for the minutes to tick by so I could meet him here at the chasm, deciding to not go to the dorms, as I would probably have fallen asleep.

"We don't have that much time. I had to rewire the video feed, so we only have a few minutes." He shifted our bodies away from the small camera, and near the thunderous sounds of the water cascading down against the wall. "I know what you are doing Lex. This game you're playing with Eric will end dangerously for you."

"Listen Four I-"he cut me off with a hand to my face, before continuing. At this point my blood was boiling, and it was only my respect for Four himself that kept me from breaking his hand from the condescending gesture.

"But you can handle yourself, I know. I'll work with you Lex. I'll help you get answers." The sudden change in conversation stopped me in my tracks of leaving, and suddenly doubt and suspicious crept into my mind.

"What's in it for you? And don't give me that bullshit that you don't want anything out of this." My voice came out in a harsh whisper, though no-one would be able to have heard our conversation due to the crashing of the chasm, and everyone was still plastered drunk at Zeke's party.

"I want answers too Lex. I'm like you." His voice bleed with sympathy and begging. But Four was one of my only allies here, and his divergence made him a target as much as me. _Take what you can get Lex. You have better chance of not dying with Four by your side._ She was right.

"Okay. Deal. What do you need me to do?" a strange feeling enveloped my body, deep inside my soul, which left me with a terrible feeling.

"You get Eric to trust you. And we can get answers to their divergent plan."

"That's one thing. What about Jax?"

"I'll get you the answers about Jax. But this is bigger than just the disappearance of your brother. Lex, something big is going on." Nothing was as big as my brother, but the pleading in Four's voice, scared, a first for me to see, changed my mind about what my priorities were, and I knew that Four would not fail in getting to the bottom of Jax.

I could only nod. A silent agreement between us, before we both left. Make Eric trust you. Hell make Eric fall hard for you.

Should be fun.

* * *

Katherine stood hunch over the grime covered toilet, as she puked out her entire stomach content out and around the initiates' bathroom. Being the great friend I was as I was holding her long locks up as she continued to desecrate the toilet, I pondered that this would be the last time that we would stay here, together. Soon after choosing our permanent jobs we would then be issued housing situations, apartments.

A flush awoke me from my day dream, Katherine slowly getting up from her position, allowing my hand to drop from her head, where I could get ready.

"I am never drinking again." Her voice was hoarse, and by the looks of her she looked worse than what she sounded. Her makeup still caked on from last night, though smudged and panda eyed.

"Yeah, I'll remember that next time there is a party." Her response was a poke of the tongue before she went to take a well-deserved shower. With a shake of my head, I turned to continue to towel dry my damp hair, which was put on hiatus due to Katherine's bowel movements.

An hour later, Katherine looked better than ever, and we descended down to the chow hall, where we would have breakfast before choosing our respected jobs.

Waiting for us was already our group of best friends, though Michael, my sweet Amity was still missing, a churning feeling made its way to the pit of my stomach. I stuck myself across from Jayce and Katherine, in between Adam and Sarah. A plate of food already sat waiting for me to demolish, thanks to Jayce. There was light chatter coming from the different tables in the hall, though most of us stayed silent, a familiar thinking going around the soon to be fully fledged members of Dauntless.

"Has anyone seen Michael?" It felt like déjà vu, a repeated question, but I was getting worried. Had he too disappeared?

"No, he never came to Zekes'. And now I'm thinking about it, he never showed up in the dorms." Kyles' voice spoke out from the table, he turned his head away from Sarah to speak. "Why? You think something's happened to him?" With Four's cryptic talk about Eric and divergence still playing like a sonnet in my head, the worst ideas come up, and Michael's dead body flashed in my head. _Get it together Alexia._ Wow, my subconscious never first named me. I must be losing it.

Sometime had passed, and the atmosphere picked up, most of the tables now filled with chatter and the loud chewing of food. Jayce and Kyle were half way through an arm wrestling match when a sudden silence enveloped the room, everyone stopping to stare at the culprit.

Max, the leader of Dauntless had walked in, almost eerily, flanked by the younger leaders, including Eric. He stood out in contrast to the older members, his youthful face shone, the tattoos that barred on his neck were prominent, compared to the others, whose ink was slowly fading away. My eyes stayed glued to him, watching his figure with every move he made, the way his jaw would clench when darting around to certain members of the vast room. What startled me a little was the daggers he shot at Four, and Four returning the gesture.

The booming sound of Max's voice brought me back to reality, and I gave all my attention back to him, kicking Eric, and Four, to the back of my mind for now.

"Initiates of this year's class" Max's eyes found the few tables of Dauntless born initiates and us, he wore a smile of pride, his hands clasped gently behind his back, and in the corner of my eye, Eric had turned his attention to my table. "Please stand." We did as we were told, each of us rising rapidly. "You are now Dauntless members, and will now step forward, one by one and select a position of work here. Think carefully, you will not pick again." A rounding applause sounded, and with that Max had left, the other leaders staying behind to join in the small festivities of breakfast. I willed my eyes not to meet Eric's, and swiftly turned my head away, sitting back down in my seat, discussing with Katherine what job we will choose and our soon to be living arraignments.

* * *

It felt much like the second stage of initiation, as all of us initiates, were seated across and next to each other waiting to speak with the various leaders about our future job prospects. The numbers were slowly dwindling away, with only a handful of us left.

"Lex Manton." I ceased my bouncing knee, slowly rising from my seating position and into a stance, marching to the only door in the room, as one of the leaders opened the door. A lonesome chair sat across a wide table, where all five leaders sat. I took my place, my hands, palms down were flat against the oak wood table. My eyes meet Max's, and soon all the other leaders, including Eric's. My jaw clenched as I saw the smirk plastered on his face.

"Miss Manton, do you have a profession in mind?" Max was succinct and spoke straight to the point.

"Yes. I do." I had cornered Four and spoke to him briefly about a job that would allow me to work with the leaders and other factions, something that was under the radar. He suggested something that was both exciting and feared at the same time. "I would like to work in the weaponry and tactic sector of Dauntless." I tried to push down the lump in my throat as I could feel their intense eyes watching my every move. I felt vulnerable. A feeling I dread.

"Very well Ms Manton. Due to your finishing place on the board, you are eligible for such a prized position in Dauntless, and so it is yours since no one has applied for the position. Congratulations." There was no clapping, or shaking of the hand. Just a quick nod from Max, and I was off to enjoy the rest of the day before being given a key to our new apartments.

"Weaponry and tactical operations? Why the sudden change of heart to weapons?" It was a good question, and coming from Jayce he had a right to question the profession I had decided to choose. But if I had a choice I wouldn't have ever chosen to work down with the heavy machinery of vehicles and weapons. However Fours' sound advice on the position had me jumping to the opportunity, where he stated that it was a discreet and well respected job, where I would be in high demand with the leaders and Erudite, who continuously supplied Dauntless with different weapons and serums. In laments terms, it was the perfect job to easy access of information. But I wouldn't tell them that.

"Well Dauntless is all about facing our fears, and what better way than doing that, then surrounding myself with sharp knives and killer guns."

It wasn't a total lie. Just misdirecting them a little. Not telling my friends was for their own good. _Yeah keep telling yourself that._

Jayce and Katherine bought it, and the conversation took a turn into their choices of work, and what the living arraignments would be like.

* * *

"So I was thinking apartment warming party?" Katherine's inane question had made me turn from my new bedroom making me step out of the spacious room and into our new living room, where she was perched on the leather couch, her feet laid atop the arm rest. I was very impressed with our new house, as it fit two bedrooms with our very own bathrooms, a spacious living area that connected with the kitchen, and an island bench that could fit at least four people for dinner.

"Absolutely not." It wasn't like me to be a negative person or say no to one of my best friends, but I couldn't deal with the added stresses of a party, as keeping up appearances was already getting to me as is. "Stop pouting. Maybe you could warm up Jayce's new apartment." Katherine sucked her lip against her pearly white teeth, and gave me a quick smirk before bounding to her new room and shuffling through her wardrobe to find something to wear.

I was getting ready to make a cup of coffee, before Katherine started to wail, stalking forward to me, before grabbing my hand and shoving us both through the front door.

"What the hell is wrong?"

"I can't find anything sexy to wear, so now that we have some points to our name. We. Are. Going. Shopping."

"Greeeaaat."

* * *

After three hours of trying on clothes, from sexy lingerie to formal dresses, Katherine had maxed at her points, while her hands carried several bags. Though while she had shopped until her hearts content, mine was racing as I continued to think about my new job, and how I would try to covertly gain access to Eric's head, and those in Erudite. But Katherine's shopping trip was somewhat of a welcomed distraction, and now I had a few outfits and undergarments that would last me for the next couple of months. Though Katherine pushed me into buying a sexy red lacy bra and matching panties, I had opted for the black, as it was ironically my favourite colour. I wondered what Eric would think of me in just my bra and panties. Wait why the hell was I thinking of Eric, and bra and panties. _Stop mind fucking yourself Lex._

Katherine had left an hour ago, and most likely wouldn't be back until morning, and I was struggling to find something to entertain me. I contemplated going to see Four, and to discuss our plans for answers, but negated, as we couldn't draw to much attention to ourselves.

Four had told me only the basics of what my job would entail. Clean and count the weapons that come in and out of Dauntless. Maintain the weapons, and the machinery, such as the intimidating armoured vehicles. But the most exciting part, was having a say in the new technology that could be fitted onto the weapons. I would have to memorize every aspect of my new profession, and build it into muscle memory, as my main focus was infiltrating Erudites files.

Just as I was preparing to walk into our new kitchen, a loud banging sounded on my door. Rushing over as I thought it might've been Four with news, I hastily unlocked the door, and in my peril for news, I hadn't realized that I was standing only in a long sleeved t-shirt that just reached my mid-thigh, though my saving grace being the boy-leg underwear that I was wearing. But my appearance, or lack of, swiftly entered into the back of my mind, as a sly smirk greeted me, on the face of the one and only Eric Coulter.

 _This should be interesting._


	8. Chapter 8

**Sorry this chapter is a little shorter than the rest. I've had probably the worst writer's block in my entire life** **Hope you like it!**

 **All rights go to Veronica Roth. OC's are mine.  
Enjoy my lovelies! **

* * *

"Can I help you?" My tone held an iciness to it that still registered with a certain befuddlement as to why my Dauntless leader was standing outside my door unannounced. Though he further aggravated me as he happily pushed me aside and strode into my living room with his chin held in their air letting his usual cockiness seep through.

I stood, still at my door for a few seconds waiting for my brain to catch up with my sight. It eventually did as I slammed the door shut and turned to see Eric had made himself comfortable on the couch, an ease I had never seen him with. I only folded my hands to my chest and waited for a reply as to why he was here.

"Nice place." His head shifted from the space around him only for a few beats until he brought them back to me, giving me a once over as I followed his line of sight. His eyes lingered at my bare thighs until he worked himself up to my raised eye. His smirk never faltered nor did his stare.

"Thanks. But again what are you doing here Eric?" This wasn't a way to gain his affection, but I couldn't help it as Eric was someone that tipped me over the adverbial line sometimes, and his pigheadedness did no favours.

"What, I can't visit my favourite initiate?" I couldn't help but let out a laugh.

A sharp scoff came out my mouth. "Please, you couldn't stand me all through initiation. And I'm a member of Dauntless now. You should take heed in accepting that." My feet made my way over to where he was sitting, and I now stood directly in front of him.

He sat very still, his jaw rigid from my response, his hands were running up and down his thighs. And in a sudden shift, Eric stood flush to me. I only reached up to his shoulder which had forced me to crane my head up to seek his face. He advanced further until I felt my calves hit the coffee table, trapped between it and Eric.

He didn't look angry, in fact no emotions played on his face. We stood there for several minutes, just looking at each other, trying to register what each other was thinking, who would be the first to break contact. _Come on Lex. Do something._

And I did.

I found some form of bravery, and willed my arms to push themselves against Eric's hard form. I was impressed with my strength as he catapulted back onto the couch, and before he could protest again, I was straddled against his chest, my legs on both sides of his, constricting him from moving up.

It was like time had stopped for him, his breathing was strong and heavy but at a steady pace, his eyes locked on mine and his hands shot up, gripping tightly on both sides of my hips. The heavy pressure of his strong hands caused a soft moan to emit from my mouth, and on reflex my hips shifted towards him, adding pressure onto his crotch area.

My hands slid up his chest, smoothing over his shirt, and I could feel his hard pectoral muscles as my fingers glided to grip his shoulders, giving them a hard squeeze. His grey orbs bore into mine, his lips shifted up a fraction, but he continued to stare, and my breathing become sporadic. But before I could start hyperventilating, my lips crashed to his.

His response was instantaneous, with his lips moving in sync with mine, slipping over one another's, as he fought for dominance, biting my bottom lid until I opened my mouth further. Our tongues, wet, moulded together, his more aggressive, until he won over and crashed his lips further into mine. His hands gripped even harder, and I wouldn't be surprised if I wound up with finger print bruises.

I clawed my nails into his t-shirt, tightening hard, as his prominent hard-on struck my sex. I couldn't help but make a sound, my mouth parted against his warm, tender wet lips.

We continued to explore each other's mouth, tongues continuing to fight with each other, our bodies occasionally moving in beat with each other, until one of us pulled for breathe. I gazed to his lips, they were slightly plumped, and a soft pink twinge showed my canine marks from my biting. I ran my tongue over my lips, they too were swollen.

One of his hands released its pressure on my hips but gained access into my hair, his fingers threaded through various locks of it, his lips returning to my skin, but this time exploring my neck, leaving a trail of hard, wet kisses, biting softly at times. His fingers started to glide down to my thigh, his fingers were hot, which left me light headed, a shiver running down the base of my spine, my throat emitting a sporadic moan as he pushed under my shirt nearing to a very dangerous place.

I pulled back. A confused look gestured his face before being replaced with his normal Eric-I hate life-features. His lips parted as he was ready to protest but I spoke before him.

"Maybe we should take this to your room. I do have comp-"Not able to finish my sentence, Eric had shifted up from his place, me in total, and proceeded to my door. His lips were on mine again, my back this time was pressed against my wall near the front door, and an aggressive excitement took over him. We broke away a second time, Eric placing me on my feet so he could open the door and lead me to his humble abode.

Eric had opened my door and stepped out into the hallway, waiting for me to follow. I stood just agar of it, one hand clasped on the handle the other on the inside of the door frame.

"Thanks for the lovely night Eric, but the sound of sleeping sounds better. Goodnight." I sang the last word to him and slammed my door shut before he could retaliate.

I didn't catch Eric's reaction, nor did I want to, as I would most likely hear from him again sometime soon, and the pounding on the door was evidence enough that I didn't want to deal with his temperament. He ceased almost immediately, and I could hear a violent roar echoing the halls before silenced engulfed my apartment block.

I entered my room, shutting the door softly, and slid down it. My fingers traced over where his lips were, remembering where his hands hand touched me, gripped me hard. The swelling had gone down, and my fingers ran through my dishevelled hair until it was combed down in obedience. A soft chuckle left my lips, as I ran my hands over my face, my brain replaying tonight's version of an events like a movie.

"What am I doing?" the words come out in both befuddlement and happiness to some extent.

* * *

The weaponry and tactical profession was placed on the lower level of the Dauntless compound, near the exit by the train tracks. It was big enough to house several trucks of ours, and a loaded cache of weapons ranging from heavy machinery to the smallest but sharpest of knives.

There was only a few members that worked alongside me, and only one I knew. Shauna, Zeke's girlfriend had shown me around when she saw me enter the chow hall this morning, and was going to be my mentor for the probationary period of profession training. She was excited that there was going to be another female working down here, but I didn't have the heart to tell her that it was not really my intended field. I was still trying to overcome my fear of knives, because no matter how many times I had to relieve my fear in my dreams I still couldn't stand the sharp objects. _But you're getting there._ Yes, I was.

By the noon I had my own work station, filled with numerous weapons and machinery objects, where for the most part I would clean and polish. It was newbie stuff, but I had to be patient in gaining enough experience to accompany the leaders to Erudite when needed.

I was halfway through the pile of guns that I had disassembled, cleaned and then assembled again when Shauna come over.

"Damn girl, you work fast." Her overalls were covered in grime and oil, as she was fixing up one of the trucks, adding a new engine, faster than the old ones that Dauntless used to run with. "Come on, let's get some lunch." I had no objection as I was too, hungry.

"Sounds good to me."

* * *

Shauna had lead me to her usual sitting after we filled our trays with various meats and vegetables, and a little side action of chocolate cake. A few minutes of eating into our lunch, Zeke and Four had joined with a few other members I had seen around.

"Anyone know what happened to Eric?" Zeke's voice came through. I turned my head from my tray to meet his, as did everyone else. I only gave a simple shake of the head. "Well, he has been in a pissed off mood since this morning. Nearly threw a dependent off the bridge from walking into him accidently." Now I knew why Eric was in a shit. I had made him that way when I ruined his perfect little evening of getting laid.

A sly smile placed my features as I couldn't help but find the conversation funny. But this didn't go unnoticed by Four, who gave me a soft kick on my leg, turning my head up to meet his brooding features. He only gave me a quirk of an eyebrow, and I waved him off, mouthing the word ' _later'_ to let him know what happened, and to see if he found any more information on my brother.

Conversation on the table varied between jobs and life in general, and I was happily taken into the fold of the group, Shauna being a new girlfriend other than Katherine, who hadn't come down from Jayce's last night and wasn't eating out here.

Lunch went for an hour and in that time I had gotten to know the ins and out of Dauntless, the secret tunnels to get to the other side of the building in case anything happened and in general the people that occupied the Dauntless establishment. Shauna had nudged me by the end of the hour, a sign that it was time to go back to work, and even though I had my doubts of my chosen profession I was starting to enjoy it.

* * *

It was nearing onto six o'clock when he arrived. The ferocity of the door slamming opened marked his arrival, and the instant scattering of my fellow colleagues told me all I needed to know. He was pissed, and by the heavy snarling he was emitting I knew that his anger would be ten times of that I have endured from him. Yet I continued to work with my back to him, the glock in my hand was polished to perfection, I could see myself in it, and I was loading the last bullets into the chamber before clicking it into place and putting into the armoury.

I turned around to face him, only to shimmer around him to place the weapon I held in my hand away. His heavy footsteps alerted me to his following. I had noticed that the place had become eerily silent and upon my examination I was alone with Eric. The few that were still here before Eric had arrived had now left. _Cowards._ Yeah, you're telling me.

After clicking the pad opened and punching in the pin, I had placed the .22 into its rightful position, and was about to close the cage shut before it slammed down, the sound vibrating through the large room, echoing about. His palm was a mere inch away from my head, as his hand closed down onto the cage, pressing his body further into my space.

I urged my body to move around to face him and it complied. I was now face to face with a very angry and pissed of Eric, no more than usual, but this time, I could only smirk at his actions. And I did.

The fire in his grey orbs grew larger, and my smirk only increased, slowly lifting into a shit eating grin.

"You think this is funny." Hot breathe landed onto my face, and his growl only tempted me more.

"Very." His other hand, formed into a fist, and banged hard against the blackened aluminium cage. I flinched hard as I could feel the vibrations as it ran down my spine. _Okay Lex, enough is enough._ And for the first time I was truly afraid of Eric. The deathly look in his eyes triggered an unnatural reaction in me. Tears began to form the depths of my eyes, and the memory of my attacker resurfaced, only it wasn't the factionless' face, but Eric's. My legs gave out, and my bottom made harsh contact with the concrete flooring. My breathing became increasingly quick and heavy, my heart thumping to its own drum. I was having my first panic attack here in Dauntless.

Silver spots danced before my eyes, until they made contact with Eric's. His large hands made contact with mine, and he clasped them gently, forcing them to pull my body weight around. My back was against his chest, our hands entwined, one pair resting on my stomach, the other on my chest. I was straining to grasp air, as my brain was replaying horrible images on loop. It was making me dizzy.

"Just breathe Lex. That's it. In through the stomach and out. Feel my hands." A soothing voice, so alien to me come out of his mouth. And slowly my mind and body was working as one. We sat there, breathing for the next few minutes, his voice gesturing soothing tones into my ear, his hands though calloused, felt tender and warm.

After several more minutes, he pushed my arms out, twirling me like before, but now I faced him. My heavy breathing had ceased, instead slow, shallow breathes took over.

"I-I-"the words I was trying to speak didn't come out. A mix of emotions was running though my head, wet drops were staining my cheeks. I hadn't realised I was crying until a thumb, ever so gently wiped them away. I hadn't cried since the night before choosing day. Almost two months ago.

"His not going to hurt you anymore" my head shot up faster than a bullet being ricocheted out of a gun. I tried to find a hint of an answer in his eyes somewhere, but his poker like stare showed nothing away. He would have fit well in Candor.

"What do you mean, his not going to hurt me?" My throat had begun to ache, an ugly croak now sounded with every sentence I spoke.

"The man you're so afraid of. His gone." His cryptic words were now driving me on edge.

"How do you know? What have you done Eric?"

"That's all you need to know." He had stood up with such ease, it would make a ballerina look like they had two left feet, but I wasn't going to let him get away without telling me something, anything.

I shot up like a rocket, running around to him, and cornering him in between the work benches. My hand reached for my gun, which had been strapped onto my right thigh, which were given to us as precaution, now that we were members.

I took my weapon out of its hold, but did not aim it at him. Yet.

"Tell me what you know." The words come out aggressive and through my teeth.

He deliberated for a minute before succumbing to my questions. "The factionless man that attacked you. The one that gave you that scar. Well, his gone. So no need to worry anymore. Okay." He tried to push past me, but I was quicker, and in my haste aimed the gun to him, but pointing to his precious boys. If looks could kill, I would have combusted into flames, burning to a cinder. _He'd probably try and burn your ashes too._ Shut up.

"TELL ME!"

"FINE. You really want to know." His voice raised to the same level as mine.

"Yes. Tell me. Now." My hand still held a firm grip on the .22, but the rest of me felt like I was shaking.

"The first day you arrived at Dauntless, when you jumped, it wasn't the first time I saw you."

"I know. At school. I recognised you."

"I would see you in passing at school. But when I first met you, it was through your brothers fear landscape." He stopped to allow me to register his words.

"What do you mean, you met me in my brother's fear landscape?" He still stood quite still, even with me aiming my gun at him.

"In my year as an initiate, we got to practice with your brother's fear landscapes." He swallowed, his Adam's apple bopping up and down. He clenched his jaw, and his hands were balled into fists, down at his sides. He continued, "The fear that I had to overcome was your attack."

I was starting to feel numb. The words were not going through my head as simply as they should have. I lowered my hand, leaving my gun to fall to my sides. He took this as a sign to carry on.

"I saw what he experienced that day. He heard your screams, well, I heard your screams. I saw the man, him atop of you. Long story short, I tried to stop him." There was a fire in his eyes, and his rigid stance did not cease.

"Okay. So what happened after?" My throat was dry, my voice coming at in a whisper. But he still heard it.

"I pushed it to the back of my mind, and passed initiation. Became a leade-"

"Stop stalling. With my attacker, you said his not here anymore. What did you do?" I found some strength in my voice, raising it a few octaves.

"I was on a patrol with a few other Dauntless. It was half year after initiation. We were patrolling the factionless, and I arrived at some deserted building. I recognised it straight away, like a bad nightmare. And your face come to mind, and then his."

"So what. Decided to defend my honour?"

"Yes and no. A pedophile was lurking around and we couldn't have that. And yes, for you. So we set up surveillance, connected it to Dauntless control room, and I waited when he would make an appearance. And he didn't disappoint. The bastard shuffled down there a few days later and so I went down." My chest felt heavy with every word he spoke. "Lex, you don't need to hear the details."

"No. It's the only way to get over my fear. Please." He gave me a curt nod and continued.

"I went down there that night. I found him asleep on a grimy mattress, surrounded with girl's clothes and toys. My blood was boiling at that point, so my foot connected with his face. Gave him the scare of his life."

"He begged for his life with every punch." His fists were still clenched, and his arms were so tight that his veins looked like they were about to pop. "And I killed him. Just like that. Stabbed him in the stomach."

A minute passed before he spoke again.

"He was my first kill."

I didn't want to hear anymore. It was getting too hard for the both of us, and in this moment I respected him more than I had any other time.

I rested my gun back into its grip on my thigh and slowly closed the distance before us. I reached out to him, my hands resting on his, and slowly unwound his tightly clenched fists, until our fingers entwined together. The feeling was strange, and a breath of relief left the both of us.

Our lips met in a subtle grace, unlike our ferocity the previous night. His supple lips parted allowing me to deepen the kiss. It lasted only a minute before I pulled away, dropping our hands apart.

My fingers found his cheek gliding over his slight stubble. I lifted my head up, giving him a longing kiss on his cheek.

"Thank you."

* * *

 **Next chapter we find out more about how Eric knows Lex. And some plotting with Four!  
Reviews and criticisms are welcomed! **


	9. Chapter 9

**Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, favourite and followed. Love to you all**

 **I'm very sorry it takes me so long to update. I'm not a writer, so sometimes I criticize my work too much and end up not writing at all!**

 **Thank you again!  
Enjoy my lovelies ****Oh and all rights reserved to Veronica Roth. OC's are mine!**

* * *

I thought I was brave.

But I feel sick to my stomach. And for the first time since being in Dauntless, I feel scared.

The photos I held in my hand were shockingly obscene, but it did no justice when I saw the real thing. I hadn't really seen a dead body. Not in real life.

His lifeless form, sat still, on the cold metal bench top, which smelt strongly of bleach and disinfectant, washing away the lingering smells of blood and dirty chasm water.

Michael, the once sweet boy from Amity, had finally turned up after a few days missing. He lay before me, his eyes closed, pale, almost transparent, his once tan skin, white in comparison.

They had found him, last night, after walking into the scene subsequently hearing a small commotion.

As I was walking back from weaponry last night, I had only planned on going straight back to the apartment to cry a little more and sleep, but loud talking had pulled me away from the direction of housing to the edge of the chasm.

With each step I took, voices were muffled with panic, the occasional swearing added to each person's vocabulary. I stood in the corner of the doorway, peeking my head out to see the drama unfold. There was four older Dauntless men, each surrounding something, or someone, and I could see black rope dangling from one of their hands, the rest positioned near his feet.

"What do we do?" I couldn't quite tell which one of them spoke, but he sounded panicked, and the situation was sounding bad.

"I don't know" another one echoed.

"Call Eric."

Shit. Shit. I wanted to know what was happening, but if I stayed, there was a high chance that I would be caught out by Eric and the others. My head bopped up and down, until I caught the small unassuming red dot, flashing in the corner of the wall.

 _Four._

I drew a metal image of the Dauntless compound, trying to remember where Four said his station was. A floor above the chasm, two lefts and a right. I started walking.

By the time I had arrived at the intelligence sect of Dauntless, many soldiers had left for the night, and only a couple still remained, including Four. Without drawing to much attention to myself, I quietly walked up to him, my hair, sat low and curled, perfect for hiding my face. By the time I had reached him, he had the camera screen already on the scene at the chasm. My hand tapped on his back, and with a swift turn of his face he had acknowledged and realised it was me. He pulled a chair up, motioning for me to sit.

We had sat there for only a couple of minutes, in silence, by the time Eric had arrived at the scene. His large form was positioned away from the camera, as if he was trying to hide the fact he was there.

"Is there any sound." I whispered to Four. He gave me only a shake of his head.

"They're not talking. Strange." Four mumbled under his breathe, a frown had formed, worry lines appearing. Why would Eric not speak, or any of them for that matter. _Because they're hiding something._ She was right, and the scene unfolding before our eyes was adding to the evidence. Eric had motioned them to lift whatever was on the ground, and each member had bent down in unison, almost synchronised to perfection.

Eric had finally turned around, yet still blocking whatever the men were carrying, his eyes were placed directly ahead of him, taking a step in the direction I came from. However he had stopped, his eyes flicking up to the camera, his stare was piercing, and I felt like he was staring straight into my soul. Though that was silly of me to think, as he has no idea I was even here. He motioned for the men to carry on, with only a wave of his hand, and it was until they passed the camera, that we realised what they were carrying.

"Is that..." my voice wavered, and I was unable to finish what I was going to say.

I felt a solid, yet soft hand on my shoulder, and turned to see Four's solemn face. "You need to go Lex. Eric will be here soon, and it will look too suspicious that you're here." I could only nod. My legs felt like jelly, and my heart was racing a million miles an hour. I willed my feet to move until they came to the door. I turned my head to look at the cameras once more. "I'm sorry Lex."

I stared at his body for the last time before Four pulled the white cloth back over his face, before stepping around the table, placing an arm around my shoulder, hugging me softly.

"Are you sure he didn't jump?" Though it was disgusting and shameful to think that Michael had taken his own life, I just didn't want to believe that anyone was really capable of killing someone. Four was adamant though that it was foul play, and my logical side agreed.

"He was suspected of being Divergent. And it was only in his fear landscape did they realise he was." Four took a deep sigh, looking like he had the whole world on his shoulders and any wrong move would be mean destruction. "You need to be careful. I think you should back away from Eric. We can get answers somewhere else. Not from him." he voice held a subtle pleading in them, but I only shook him off, shaking my head back and forth.

"No. I can handle myself, and besides no one suspects anything."

"Not yet. But the more you get wrapped in Eric's world, the more dangerous it becomes for you."

"I can handle myself Four. Besides we don't even know if Eric had a hand in this." I jutted my chin out to the lifeless form under the white sheet, scared if I used my hand that Four would see it trembling.

"Trust me, he did. Ask him about Amar the next time you're alone with him. You were born Candor, read his body language and tell me if his lying or deflects the question." With that sentiment Four had walked out of the morgue, leaving me in the chill.

I let out a large sigh, my head raised to look at the ceiling before I followed him out.

* * *

The Dauntless mourning gatherings were ironically a lively affair, and where mourning meant getting drunk to oblivion while partying a life 98% of Dauntless didn't even know existed. Eric led the precession, standing gallantly at the gantry, flask in hand as he eloquently spoke about the life of Michael, and his courage of taking his own life.

"Today, we stand together, not to mourn one's life, but to celebrate it. To celebrate Michael's achievements, and most importantly his courage, for leaving this world on his own terms, his beliefs and values follow with him. He was Dauntless to the core." Eric's words had a bite to them, like even he didn't truly believe what he was saying. "Let us raise our glasses." Those in the pit who held cups and flasks masked with alcohol raised them high. "To Michael."

"To Michael." The room echoed with their repeated words, everyone taking hearty gulps and sips of their drinks, laughing and some, only few, crying for the loss of a human life.

Katherine was sobbing quietly, her head tucked into the nook of Jayce's' arm, a flask of alcohol in his other, and taking sombre sips every now and then. Adam held onto Sarah's hand, while Mack looked between bored and at times disgusted. Either he thought taking one's life was not courageous or the celebration was unnecessary, I didn't know.

A flash of silver danced in front of my face, and it was until I paid closer inspection was it Jayce offering me his flask of alcohol. I denied it, and thanked him quietly before turning back to the gantry to find Eric had left, milling somewhere in the crowd.

"How are you holding up?" Katherine hiccupped, her face dotted with red splotches, her eyes held a distinct puff under them. My heart broke for her.

"I'm doing okay. I just need to get some air. Do you want to join me?" she reached out for my hand giving it a rough squeeze and shake of her head. Her head lent into Jayce's shoulder, his arm now around her. Giving them a gentle smile, I left to go collect my thoughts.

My hands had begun to turn white from the pressure of them clutching onto the railing of the bridge of the chasm. The celebration had ceased to lull, and so my head began to feel the repercussions of the music filling out the pit.

Four's words continued to mill around my head, his warning of Eric had made me more doubtful of this mission of mine more and more. But I was going to continue. Jax deserves it. I deserve to know answers.

With the traffic of dauntless soldiers walking in and out of the area, I hadn't realised who stood beside me, until the scent of his cologne invaded my smell. I avoided his gaze, afraid that I wouldn't be able to keep a straight face when asking him Four's imminent topic of conversation.

"Nice speech. I see Erudites eloquence is still ingrained in you." I could feel the vibrations of his scoff, or hearty laugh, whichever the case as I didn't look up, through the metal grate floor.

"Yeah, somethings we can't shake off." His response was light, peeking from my eyelashes I saw him take a swig of whatever liquid he had in his flask. I decided to turn to face him, my arm leaning on the metal rail guard, the other placed subtly on my hip.

"You really believe a word you just said about Michael? His suicide being brave?" My voice was laced with a hint of sarcasm, the rest was genuine curiosity.

He stood in silence for a minute, before turning and mimicking my position. His arm hung across the rail loosely, the flask in hand, his hooded eyes widened a fraction, hints of danger flickered across them, before a treacherous smirk appeared on his face.

"Of course. Its Dauntless motto." His voice was sickly sweet, talking to me if I were a child, a warning to stop treading on dangerous waters. But I was never one to back down.

"Really? So someone jumping to their death for no apparent reason is brave?" the fingers around his flask had become white, his jaw, chiselled and defined, was tensed. "Because I think that's the easy way out. But unless he didn't jump." My insides were churning with a sick feeling, and this cat and mouse game Eric and I were playing was not only dangerous and wild, but wouldn't end well, for any of us. _It's for Jax._

He stepped closer, until hot breath evaded my senses. My hip felt a heavy squeeze, his hand pushed hard against my hip bone, his bone crushing fingers digging into my soft flesh.

"And what makes you think he didn't jump?" His voice was low, mixed with seductiveness and danger.

Swallowing the lump in my throat that had formed, I stepped closer to him, his hand still placed on my hip. My fingers reached out to the ones holding onto his flask. I took it from his grasp, and opened, taking a hearty gulp. It was much heavier than beer, the bitterness cutting through as it slid down my throat. _Whisky._

"Because Michael wouldn't have." My eyes flickered to his, waiting to see his response. He gave me none. I continued. "What do you think Eric? Did he jump?"

"There is always someone. Every year."

"Was it Amar or Jax last year then?" his eyes grew wider with my confession, his fingers had left my hip in a matter of mere seconds, before his fingers shot up to capture my face. His hand pressed hard around my jaw, pushing my face up so my eyes could meet his, forcing them to stay there.

"Stop questioning me." Each word come out more venomous than the other through gritted teeth.

"Why? Afraid I'll find out all your dirty secrets. What are you hiding?" It was hard to move my mouth, but I prevailed, with some difficulty.

"Nothing for you to know."

"Four was right. You keep evading the question. Just spit it out. I deserve to know where my brother is buried. I know he's dead. Just tell me what they did with him. What you did with him."

The pressure on my jaw was released, as he stepped two paces back from me. He wiped a hand over his face, and in this light he looked like he had aged ten years.

"You can tell Four I had nothing to do with Amar." There was no deception in his eyes, his voice had a sense of defeat in them. _His telling the truth._ I know.

"And Jax?" My voice wavered, my fingers had laced together as I was wringing them around, and a few stray tears slivered down my cheeks.

He hung his head low in a very uncharacteristic manner, wisping a hand through his hair. He turned his face away, and heavy sigh left his lips, before turning back to me. His features looked odd, like he was in some sort of pain. His once smooth forehead, now had creases of worry, his mouth turned upside down.

"If I tell you. I lose you." His words hit me like a tonne of bricks, each one heavier than the other.

My legs willed themselves to walk, and they continued too until I was only a few inches away from him. In this new light I saw just how much hurt he was in. But this was Eric, I was talking about. He never looked like he could care about anyone, let alone thinking of losing them as something that would hurt.

I shot my arm up, placing it gently on his arm, giving him a small squeeze. "Please. I need to know."

He took a sharp intake of breathe before looking straight into my eyes. "You're brother knew too much. He began to suspect something odd was happening in Dauntless, and so they got rid of him."

I hadn't realised I was holding my breath, until I released for air. "What do you mean got rid of him?"

"They killed him."

"Who?"

"I can't tell you."

"Who Eric? You?" There was a beat of hesitation, followed some footsteps around us. It looked like the gathering had come to an end, and everyone started to leave back to their perspective living areas. My hand held on tighter to Eric's, forcing him to stay. In matter of seconds, his large, rough hand caught my arm, yanking it off his, and pulled me down the tunnel. His legs were longer than mine, and his is ease in walking at a brisk pace had me running to keep up with him.

This continued for a few minutes until he stopped suddenly at a door. He let go of me to fish something out of his pocket, and with its jingling I was safe to assume they were his keys. A click had sounded and the turning of a knob, his heavy hand came to rest on my back until I felt some form of pressure as I was pushed through his open door, into a clean and crisp space of blacks and dark browns of his living room.

His living area was filled with only necessities; black leather couch, with two matching brown leather cushions, a glassed coffee table and recliner. What surprised me the most was his grand dark timber book case which had been encased with hundreds of books. His kitchen was much the same, small clean and tidy. As I moved more into his living space, I could tell out the double doors which were closed would lead to some form of a bedroom and a bathroom, much like mine and Katherine's apartment. But I wasn't here to inspect his home.

I turned to face him. He was leaning against the wall, with one foot holding his lean, muscular figure up, with his hands crossed between his chest, his eyes watching my mine.

"Well, we're away from prying eyes and ears. You dragged me here for a reason Eric. Spill." I mocked his stance, my body leaning against his recliner, my hands crossed too across my chest.

His eyes turned dark, the metallic grey now swam with an intensity that was alluring and dangerous at the same time.

"I didn't kill your brother."

"Fine, you didn't kill him. Who the fuck did then?" I was never one to swear but Eric's constant deflection of the subject was making me very angry.

His patience had worn thin, because the heavy padding of his boots warned me that in a matter of seconds I was going to either be yelled at, or pushed and prodded until I was out the door.

He was in front of me, his hands now by his side in fists, his jaw was back to being clenched, and his eyes swam with ferocity. _Do not push him Lex._

"The vein on your forehead will pop if you clench any harder." _Damn it._

I stepped away from the back of the recliner, but with each step I made backward he made one forward until my legs hit solid timber, the closed sliding doors which led to his bedroom.

His words were snarled, reminding me of a fictional fire breathing lizard my brother used to be enamoured with. "You want answers don't you? What to know all my dirty secrets? I like this game Lex. I like how you need me to gain access to answers. So let's keep playing this little game, because trust me you'll come crawling to me for them."

Hot fingers groped my neck, his thumb flicking over my lower lip. I watched his eyes, while his tongue darted out from between his own lips. Pushing my hips into his, my hand darted out to catch the side of his cheek. His stubble grazed over my fingers, and I have to say it's quite nice to touch. His mood swayed constantly, and I would too play like him if I was going to get more out of him.

"Hmm…should be fun." my lips, wet, came in contact with his cheek, this time my lips felt his 5o'clock shade, my teeth grazing down to the side of his neck. I bit down hard; soft enough to leave a mark but not enough to penetrate any blood. His grip loosens, and I step around his now surprised body. "Has anyone never told you not to play truth or dare with a Candor?" My voice lingers until I reach his front door.

His fingers still linger on his neck, his face laced with a devilish humour. "But you aren't Candor. You're Dauntless, right?"

My lips perk up into a smirk. "Yeah. And you're not Erudite anymore. Right?" I don't wait for his answer, and make my way out of his house, with a little more information. Yet I hear faint words come from his door.

"Smartass." I can't help but laugh, and for the first time it seems carefree.

* * *

"So what have you found out?"

"That I'm his weakness."

I look up to meet Four's eyes, and there's a glint to them.

"And that's my way in."

* * *

 **Thank you for reading. Give me a review if you feel like it. I love reading your thoughts and if not, thank you for taking time out just to read my story! I'll try updating more often!**


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